The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has expressed serious reservations about the constitution and autonomy of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the alleged siphoning of funds from the city-based Nirmal Multi-State Credit Co-operative Society. The court's scrutiny came during a hearing on Wednesday, where it questioned whether the team's members possess the specialized expertise mandated by the Supreme Court for investigating complex economic crimes.
Court Questions Specialization of SIT Members
A division bench comprising Justices Anil Pansare and Raj Wakode took on record an affidavit from the state government confirming the investigation is underway. However, the judges voiced concern that the current composition of the SIT may not fully align with the parameters established by the apex court. The Supreme Court had explicitly directed that SIT members must be "specialized in investigating economic offences."
The affidavit, filed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Umesh Mane Patil of the Mira-Bhayandar Vasai-Virar police commissionerate, revealed the SIT was constituted on December 8. It includes IPS officer Rajesh Pradhan (Special Inspector General of Police), IPS officer Mohit Garg (Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mumbai), and Patil himself. The document stated the team has collected documents related to multiple FIRs and filed chargesheets in some cases, with the probe "in progress."
When Additional Public Prosecutor Sanjay Doifode argued that the officers had handled economic offence cases previously, the bench drew a crucial distinction. "To investigate economic offence is one thing and to have specialisation in it is another," the court observed. It then directed the APP to obtain clear instructions on whether the officers indeed possess the required, specialized expertise.
Hierarchy and Independence Concerns Flagged
The judges also raised red flags regarding the internal hierarchy of the SIT and its potential impact on the probe's independence. They noted that the senior-most member of the team is junior in rank to the Commissioners of Police in Nagpur, who had earlier expressed views on the case. This, the bench stated, warrants a careful examination by the Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure the SIT functions "independently and without undue influence."
In a frank observation, the court added that when an officer is junior in rank, "the possibility that he may unnecessarily create records to improve his chances of superseding the commissioners of police involved cannot be ruled out." The bench has requested the DGP to address this specific issue to safeguard the investigation's integrity.
SIT to Take Over CBI FIR, Next Hearing in 2026
During the proceedings, the petitioner's counsel informed the court that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR on November 29, 2025, following earlier High Court orders. The bench has now directed that the SIT will take over the investigation of that crime.
The court recalled the Supreme Court's December 2 directions, issued by a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The apex court had transferred the probe from the CBI to a specially constituted SIT, citing the federal agency's heavy workload. Its order mandated a three-member team with specified seniority levels, required specialization in economic offences, and barred officers who had previously probed the case.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on January 7, 2026. The court directed all parties to act on the uploaded copy of the order. This development puts the spotlight back on the high-profile investigation into the alleged financial irregularities at the Nagpur-based credit cooperative society, testing the robustness of the newly formed SIT.
