Plea in Delhi HC seeks CBI probe into allegations of ‘corruption via electoral bonds’

New Delhi: A plea submitted in the Delhi High Court on Monday sought a CBI investigation, overseen by the court, into the instances of alleged quid pro quo and corruption related to donations made via electoral bonds by individuals or companies to various political parties, The Indian Express reported.

On April 18 this year, Petitioner Sudip Narayan Tamankar filed a complaint with the CBI, seeking a probe into alleged corruption disclosed in electoral bond data following the disclosure of electoral bond information based on the directions of the apex court.

Tamankar submitted to the court that CBI has not taken any action so far on the complaint.

When he approached, after filing the complaint, the Supreme Court disposed of the plea by noting that recourse can be taken under remedies available under the laws governing the criminal procedure laws or Article 226 of the Constitution, which empowers high courts to issue directions, according to The Indian Express. Subsequently, Tamankar moved to the high court.

Meanwhile, briefly taken up before the division bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela on Monday, Chief Justice Manmohan asked : “SC refused to interfere with the matter for a couple of reasons. One is, that it is based on assumptions. They are saying you have to go under normal process of law which means CrPC section 156(3)…So if SC is not entertaining (the plea) under Article 32, won’t the same apply to us under Article 226?”

Following which, advocate Pranav Sachdeva representing the petitioner said that the CBI has to respond to the complaint.