The Kerala High Court has directed the vigilance investigation team to complete, within 90 days, the probe into the alleged bribery case involving an Enforcement Directorate (ED) official. The order was issued by a bench of Justice A Badharudeen while hearing a petition filed by Aneesh Babu, a Kollam-based cashew trader who is currently facing a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.
Background of the Case
The petitioner, Aneesh Babu, is an accused in a PMLA case involving allegations of cheating local cashew traders. He allegedly collected advance payments for imported cashew nuts but failed to deliver the goods. Earlier, Babu had lodged a complaint with the vigilance department, alleging that two middlemen contacted him on behalf of Sekhar Kumar, assistant director of the ED, and demanded Rs 2 crore to halt the ED probe against him. Based on this complaint, the vigilance department registered a case against Sekhar Kumar and others.
Petitioner's Request for CBI Investigation
Later, Babu approached the court alleging that the vigilance team had not conducted a proper investigation into his complaint and sought a CBI probe. He further contended that the accused were highly influential and that a CBI investigation was necessary to ensure a fair probe. During the pendency of the petition, Babu was arrested by the ED on January 14 in connection with the PMLA case.
Court's Observation and Order
After perusing the progress report submitted by the vigilance investigation team, the court observed that a crime had already been registered and that an investigation was underway. It further opined that it was too premature to order a CBI investigation at this stage. Accordingly, the court directed the vigilance department to expedite the probe and complete it within 90 days.
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