HC asks CBI, ED to examine DAcomplaint against Rahul Gandhi

Lucknow: A Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to inquire into the alleged disproportionate assets of Cong MP and leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and apprise it of the progress of the inquiry on July 20.

A division bench of Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Zafeer Ahmad passed the order on a criminal writ petition moved by a Karnataka BJP worker S Vignesh Shishir.

The petitioner has levelled allegations that Gandhi has accumulated disproportionate assets and has sought inquiry into the matter.

“It is expected that if the complaint has been received, the allegations of the complaints may be verified as per law. CBI or ED may take appropriate steps permissible under the law,” the bench said.

The bench also directed the department of personnel and training (DoPT), revenue department, ministries of finance and corporate affairs, and the director of Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to file their responses within eight weeks on the allegations levelled by the petitioner against Gandhi.

The bench had conducted in-chamber hearing in the case on May 12, and its order was made available on the high court’s website on Thursday.

The order said that the CBI informed the bench that the agency had received the petitioner’s complaint and would file a response within eight weeks.

The ED also informed the bench that it would verify the allegations and would apprise the court about it.

Seeking reply from several other govt agencies, the bench said, “By filing response in the shape of counter affidavit, the progress in respect of complaint submitted by the petitioner to the aforesaid agencies may be apprised to the court.”

To a query whether the petition was maintainable, the bench said that this submission would be tested after receiving counter-affidavits of the respective parties and the rejoinder affidavits thereof.

On an earlier date, the court had ordered senior registrar that the paper-book and the loose documents provided by the petitioner be kept in a sealed cover to be opened on the next date of hearing.