New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Allahabad High Court to defer proceedings in a disproportionate assets case linked to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha (LoP).
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana also ordered the CBI or any other authority not to submit any report to the High Court.
The Apex Court, hearing the petition filed by the Congress MP against Allahabad High Court’s direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to verify the allegations, restrained both the Central agencies — CBI and ED — from submitting any report.
The Allahabad High Court, in its order issued in May, observed that if the complaint had indeed been received by the concerned agencies, the allegations contained in it should be verified in accordance with law.
The Congress MP approached the Supreme Court last week, challenging orders of the Allahabad High Court that directed the CBI and ED to verify allegations that he possesses assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The Apex Court further noted that the CBI and the ED were at liberty to take appropriate action as warranted under the legal framework.
“Suppose somebody commits murders, etc., police does not need permission. But what appears to us is, subject to the assistance provided to us from both sides, if the Court wants to issue a direction, the courts are expected to follow the principle of natural justice,” the CJI remarked in his observation.
The Bench also said that if any agency has knowledge of any disproportionate assets belonging to any individual, it can proceed on its own and the same does not require court orders.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Rahul Gandhi, submitted that the proceedings amounted to “witch-hunt through a process not recognised by law”. He also questioned the locus standi and bona fide of the petitioner before the High Court, stating that he has repeatedly filed petitions against Rahul Gandhi.
The matter pertains to a case filed by Karnataka-based BJP worker S. Vignesh Shishir, who sought CBI and ED probes, alleging that Rahul Gandhi possessed assets disproportionate to his income.
(IANS)
