‘Kripa not grilled despite FIR’

MUMBAI: Activist Sanjay Tiwari has complained to the state police chief that former Congress city chief Kripashankar Singh has still not been interrogated despite an FIR filed against him. Tiwari’s PIL seeking a probe into the disproportionate assets of Singh was converted into an FIR by the Bombay high court early this year.
He said custodial interrogation is necessary to find out about the politician’s assets.The high court had directed the police to treat Tiwari’s petition as an FIR. The PIL questioned the wealth illegally amassed by Singh, his wife Malti Devi, son Narendra Mohan and daughter Sunita, son-in-law and daughter-in-law. Their wealth allegedly exceeded Rs 350 crore. The court, after going through sealed copies of ACB reports, had even directed then police chief Arup Patnaik to personally head the special investigation team after going through reports submitted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau against Singh. The police registered an FIR on February 28 under IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act and the Supreme Court has given the SIT time till October-end to complete the probe under supervision of new police chief Satyapal Singh. The SIT has so far submitted two sealed reports to the SC on the probe. Tiwari’s counsel Ram Jethmalani had argued that the probe has been going on for the last two years, yet its progress remains unknown as reports have been confidential.
Last week, Tiwari wrote to the new police chief saying, “Neither Singh nor his relatives have been called for questioning.” No member of the Singh family has been arrested, nor has Kripashankar or his family sought anticipatory bail, Tiwari said, adding “two FIRs are already lodged and in the ordinary course any person in his place would have been arrested.” He said new facts had emerged since the FIR was lodged and said there was a likelihood that some family members may leave the country and it was important to impound their passports. Kripashankar’s counsel Mukul Rohtagi said he was abroad and unable to talk. Kripashankar said since his “SLP was pending before the SC, it will not be proper for me to make any comment.”