SC dismisses PIL for CBI probe against Ashok Gehlot in graft charge

In a respite to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the Supreme Court has rejected a PIL seeking CBI probe into the allegation of corruption charges against him in award of contract to corporate houses.

A bench of Justices HL Dattu and Chandramouli Kumar Prasad dismissed the appeal filed against the Rajasthan High Court order which had also refused to order any probe into the allegations.

The petition filed by Shrikrishna Kukkad, a resident of Ganganagar in Rajasthan, was turned down even without issuing notices.

Earlier, the high court, in May 2011, had dismissed the PIL seeking a probe into allegations saying no ground is made out for the investigation.

The high court had said that Kukkad had failed to provide any documentary proof of all the allegations in order to prove direct involvement of Gehlot in the decision making.

BJP had also charged Gehlot with seeking favours from corporate houses for monetary gains to his son Vaibhav Gehlot and daughter Soniya Ankhad and in turn allotting various contracts to the two corporate houses.

The petition had claimed that since Gehlot came to power both the companies of Muhnot group and Kothari group, which are allegedly close to the chief minister, have shown surprising growth in their business.

It was also alleged that a large number of government contracts have been given to the companies owned by Kothari Group as Vaibhav was working as a legal adviser with the firm.