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The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday reserved its judgement on whether CBI should probe the multi-crore Saradha scam or not.
In response to the petitions filed seeking CBI investigation into the scam, the Court observed that the matter would be “monitored periodically”. The Court observed that “stage has not (yet) come” for CBI to “take over”.
In its observation, a Division Bench of Justice Ashim Kumar Banerjee and Justice Mrinal Kanti Chaudhuri said, “If we withdraw the process from the State machinery and ask the CBI to take over…the result would not be as expected, at least, the stage has not come.”
The Bench also observed that the State administration should get “some more time” to continue investigation. “We would rather prefer to grant liberty to the State machinery to take suggestion or advice of any other agency as they feel like,” it said.
The Court directed central bodies like CBI, Enforcement Directorate, Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs to “render all necessary assistance” to the State government at its request.
periodical report
“The State machinery would, however, be obliged to submit a periodical report to the Court,” the observation said.
Meanwhile, the Court has issued a set of directions for the State Government. While the Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed by the State Government, will have to submit monthly progress report with the Registrar General of the Court; SIT will extend all support to any central agency for carrying out investigation at their level.
Other directions include establishing Special Court in consultation with High Court to expedite the process and extending adequate infrastructure to Bidhannagar Commissionerate as SIT is working with “active assistance of the Commissionerate”.
ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in
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