The Punjab and Haryana High Court has declined to order a fresh investigation into a corruption case involving former minister Sunder Sham Arora. The court ruled that the probe could not be deemed biased solely because it was conducted by an officer subordinate to the complainant.
Court’s Observations and Clarifications
The Bench further clarified that its observations were limited to deciding the petition and would not influence the pending trial. The petition sought the quashing of an FIR registered on October 15, 2022, under the Prevention of Corruption Act by the Vigilance Bureau, along with all subsequent proceedings. It also sought to nullify the final report or challan dated December 3, 2022, and the order of August 29, 2023, by a Mohali special judge dismissing Arora’s discharge application.
Background of the Case
The FIR was based on a complaint submitted by an AIG to the Chief Director of the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab. The case was assigned to a DSP, Vigilance Bureau, for investigation. According to the court submissions, the petitioner was allegedly caught with currency notes worth Rs 50 lakh in the presence of witnesses on October 15, 2022.
Impact and Next Steps
The High Court’s decision ensures that the trial against the former minister will proceed without a reinvestigation. The ruling reinforces that the investigation process is not automatically tainted by hierarchical relationships between the complainant and the investigating officer.
