'Why is UP so interested' Asks Supreme Court in Ex-Chief Engineer's Case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court declined to entertain a petition filed by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government challenging the July 16 order of the Allahabad High Court of handing over the corruption case against former chief engineer of Noida authority, Yadav Singh, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Court asked the state government, "Why is UP is so much interested in this case. Let the gentleman (Mr Singh) come to Court if he feels the case should not have been given to CBI."

Former cabinet minister and lawyer who represented the state government, Kapil Sibal, told the Court that the state didn't want CBI to probe the case, and wants an independent agency to investigate, and monitoring to be done by the high court.

The Court told Mr Sibal, "You put so much faith on CBI in Vyapam scam, but here you say CBI will destabilize state government, we are sorry."

On Wednesday, the state government had moved the Court against the CBI probe order in Mr Singh's case, and had questioned the "extreme interest" taken by the Centre, accusing them of using the investigation agency for political purposes.

Advertisement

Mr Sibal also contested the claim of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money, which recommended CBI probe into this case and questioned SIT's jurisdiction. But the Court said, "We feel CBI probe is necessary in this case."

The Court permitted the UP government to approach the Allahabad High Court for monitoring the probe.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, CBI registered two cases of corruption against Mr Singh, accused of amassing huge wealth disproportionate to his income.

According to officials, the scrutiny of the former chief engineer's Income Tax Returns and other connecting records have allegedly revealed that during the period 2009-2014, the total likely savings of the family of Mr Singh was around Rs.1.70 crore whereas they were in possession of immovable property worth nearly Rs.3.60 crore.