Former Maharashtra minister and Congress leader Kripashankar Singh were discharged in disproportionate asset case. He was discharged by a special court in Mumbai on Wednesday, since the investigating team had not received sanction from Maharashtra speaker to prosecute him, as per The Indian Express.
“I had to go through many hardships in the last 8-9 years, but I am happy that the court finally gave me justice,” Singh said.
Singh, his wife, daughter, son and son-in-law were also accused in the case where Singh was found in possession of property valued over 19 crores. They had to face prosecution for abetting and aiding the minister. Singh’s kin was booked by the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police had filed a charge sheet in April 2015 under sections of Indian Penal Code and offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
In 2016, Singh filed a discharge plea claiming that he was a public servant at the time of the offence and the investigation agency had not obtained sanction to prosecute him. In order to prosecute Singh, the investigating team required to get sanction under section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
“During the course of the investigation, the agency had approached the speaker of the house twice for sanction to prosecute Singh. However, on both the occasions, the sanction was refused by the speaker with a detailed order,” said Singh’s lawyer KH Giri.
“It is submitted that though both these orders were in the custody of the prosecution, the same has been deliberately and wantonly suppressed and withheld from this honourable court,” the discharge application filed by Singh stated.
The compliant
The complaint against Kripashankar Singh was filed with the Anti Corruption Bureau by a social activist. A Public Interest Litigation was also filed in Bombay High Court in 2014 against Singh. The Anti Corruption Bureau and the Economic Offences Wing held an inquiry following the directions by the High Court and found that Singh possessed disproportionate asset.