Adarsh: Court summons ED director, raps CBI for slow probe

Rapping the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for not initiating a probe against members of the Adarsh society over allegations of money laundering, the Bombay high court has summoned the agency’s director on March 12.

While asking the director to remain present personally, a division bench of justices PB Majmudar and R Dhanuka observed: “It is unfortunate that the ED has remained a mute spectator. This is a serious lapse on part of the agency.” The judges have asked the ED to file a formal application and notify other parties.

The court was hearing public interest litigations filed by social activists Simpreet Singh and Pravin Wategaonkar.

Expressing displeasure by the contention of the ED counsel that they haven’t begun the probe as they are awaiting documents from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the income tax department, Majumdar said, “You are a separate agency and can conduct a probe independently.”

The CBI, however, was not spared either and pulled up for its slow probe in the scam. The court asked the CBI, which was handed over the probe in February 2011, to file a status report of the investigation conducted so far. “The probe will be transferred to Special Investigation Team if you (CBI) fail to file the report or if it’s unsatisfactory,” the judges said.

The CBI had sought three more months saying it was looking into the alleged benami transactions of 104 members as well.

But the judges ignored the request and have asked the CBI to give names of all these members in their status report to be filed on March 12.