Ensure fair probe in cases between ED & State officials: Supreme Court
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday proposed to form a pan-India mechanism to make investigation of cases involving the Directorate of Enforcement(ED) and the officials of a State Government fair and transparent, LiveLaw reported.
The court made the observation while hearing a writ petition filed by the ED, which sought to transfer the probe of the bribery case against ED officer Ankit Tiwari from the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), according to the report.
The bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan emphasized that ‘vindictive arrests and mala-fide witch-hunting should not take place’, while not letting off offenders.
Issuing a notice to Tamil Nadu government seeking its response on the petition, the court asked TNDVAC not to proceed with the investigation against Tiwari in the meantime.
The court also asked the State agency to share with it all materials collected in the case.
Meanwhile, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta who appeared for the ED, sought fair probe while making it clear that the agency was not supporting the officer implicated in the bribery case.
The SG added that the Tamil Nadu Police did not share the FIRs of offences, thus stalling the ED’s probe into money laundering cases against many State officials.
The SG also told the court that the state agency raided the ED office and seized several unconnected files which however are relevant to cases involving ED probe against many ministers.
Appearing for the state government, senior Advocate Kapil Sibal denied these allegations.
