RAIPUR: The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look within 16 weeks into a complaint of corruption against Chhattisgarh’s former principal secretary Aman Singh and others.
A division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued the directions, disposing of a public interest litigation, filed by a Chhattisgarh-based social activist, Rakesh Kumar Choubey, demanding a probe into his complaints with the Centre and its investigating agencies, including the CBI, regarding alleged corruption during Singh’s tenure in the state.
“Petitioner has filed representations on December 12, 2019, and on July 17, 2021, which are pending consideration. We, therefore, direct the concerned Respondents to look into the grievances ventilated by the Petitioner in the said representations as well as in the present writ petition and take a decision, in accordance with law, rules and regulations and Government policies applicable to the case,” the order said.
The HC ordered “the concerned Respondents” to expeditiously take a decision “preferably within a period of 16 weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of this order”.
The PIL had prayed for a court-monitored probe by a Special Investigation Team pointing out that the petitioner, from time to time, had made several representations to the officers concerned but no action was taken.
The petitioner said that he did not lodge any complaint with the state agencies in Chhattisgarh and instead sent complaints to various ministries, besides Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, Central Vigilance Commissioner, Central Board of Direct Taxes and Serious Fraud Investigation Office, and hence he felt it legally appropriate to move the Delhi High Court for relief.
Singh, a former Indian Revenue Service officer, had continued on the state deputation till December 2018, with his last posting as principal secretary to the then chief minister Raman Singh and a couple of other departments. He resigned from the services after the Congress government came to power in December 2018.
Earlier this month, the Chhattisgarh High Court has quashed an FIR registered against Singh and his wife Yasmin for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets, observing that the registration of the case was the “abuse” of the process of law and that the allegations were prima facie based on probabilities. The case was registered by the state’s economic offences wing in February 2020 under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code based on a complaint lodged by one Uchit Sharma.
A division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued the directions, disposing of a public interest litigation, filed by a Chhattisgarh-based social activist, Rakesh Kumar Choubey, demanding a probe into his complaints with the Centre and its investigating agencies, including the CBI, regarding alleged corruption during Singh’s tenure in the state.
“Petitioner has filed representations on December 12, 2019, and on July 17, 2021, which are pending consideration. We, therefore, direct the concerned Respondents to look into the grievances ventilated by the Petitioner in the said representations as well as in the present writ petition and take a decision, in accordance with law, rules and regulations and Government policies applicable to the case,” the order said.
The HC ordered “the concerned Respondents” to expeditiously take a decision “preferably within a period of 16 weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of this order”.
The PIL had prayed for a court-monitored probe by a Special Investigation Team pointing out that the petitioner, from time to time, had made several representations to the officers concerned but no action was taken.
The petitioner said that he did not lodge any complaint with the state agencies in Chhattisgarh and instead sent complaints to various ministries, besides Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, Central Vigilance Commissioner, Central Board of Direct Taxes and Serious Fraud Investigation Office, and hence he felt it legally appropriate to move the Delhi High Court for relief.
Singh, a former Indian Revenue Service officer, had continued on the state deputation till December 2018, with his last posting as principal secretary to the then chief minister Raman Singh and a couple of other departments. He resigned from the services after the Congress government came to power in December 2018.
Earlier this month, the Chhattisgarh High Court has quashed an FIR registered against Singh and his wife Yasmin for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets, observing that the registration of the case was the “abuse” of the process of law and that the allegations were prima facie based on probabilities. The case was registered by the state’s economic offences wing in February 2020 under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code based on a complaint lodged by one Uchit Sharma.
.