Pujari will look into MPSC scam till May 31, says HC

The Bombay HC on Friday said ACP Sudhakar Pujari, the investigating officer in the MPSC scam, will continue to probe the case till May 31 despite being shunted out of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Noting that vehement opposition by the ACB and the city police to Pujari completing the probe was “incomprehensible”, Justice Roshan Dalvi said that Pujari would continue investigating the scam in addition to taking charge of his new posting at the police control room.

The order was passed while hearing an application challenging Pujari’s transfer order dated May 6 shunting him from the ACB to the police control room.

While the ACB maintained that the transfer was routine and was ordered as the investigation in the scam was over, Pujari told the court on Friday that as many as 12 accused named in the chargesheet were still to be arrested.

“The ACB director general is not allowing me to arrest them,” Pujari said in court. Among others, the 12 accused include former MPSC chief Gyanchand Verma, ex city police commissioner Shrikant Bapat, ex additional director general of police VN Deshmukh, MPSC members Ashok Chitnis and Shubhada Phanse and the three Lohar brothers. Pujari has arrested 29 people and filed ten chargesheets.

Stating that it was ‘prudent policy” to retain an investigating officer till investigations reached a logical end, she told the ACB it would be a shame if the agency tried to obstruct Pujari from carrying out his duty.