Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Sep 17: The state high court, on Monday September 16, directed Karnataka government to issue notification at the earliest under the 'Delhi Police Establishment Act - 1954' to enable Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) multi-disciplinary investigation team to continue its investigation under Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors Act 2004.
It also asked the concerned to take immediate steps to obtain prior permission to subject government servants to prosecution under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2018.
The high court division bench comprising Chief Justice A S Oka and Justice Mohanmed Nawaz passed this order when hearing a set of petitions seeking to hand over IMA multi-crore financial scam to CBI for investigation.
The high court, after verifying the compliance reports submitted in close envelopes by the competent authority, special investigation team and CBI's MDIT, issued certain directions to the government before handing over the closed envelopes to the registrar of the high court. The competent authority has requested the government to fill 30 vacant posts to be able to undertake confiscation of movable and immovable property, and dispose of appeals of the investors. The bench instructed the government to fill five posts within two weeks and to fill the remaining 25 pots on priority thereafter. It also asked the competent authority to submit progress report on the impounding of properties in the case.
During the hearing, an advocate for the petitioners mentioned that former minister Roshan Baig, had not appeared for questioning by the special investigating team even after summons were served on him four times. He said that there are allegations that a person who was a minister, had demanded for payment of ten crore rupees, but the charge sheet of CBI does not contain these facts.
Advocate for CBI Prasannakumar said that MDIT was formed immediately after the investigation of the case was taken up on August 30 this year and that the team which worked without break, filed first charge sheet within a week. He said that two first information reports have been filed against people's representatives and these facts have been mentioned in the closed envelopes. He added that at this stage, these details cannot be made public.