The Madras High Court has upheld a lower court order dismissing a petition by K. Suresh, former Chairman of the Chennai Port Trust, and his wife, seeking discharge from the disproportionate wealth case against him.
Justice M. Venugopal passed the order on a revision petition by the couple.
The case was registered against Mr. Suresh, an IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre. His wife, Y. Geetha, and another person have also been cited as accused.
The period of investigation was from January 2003 to August 2009 when Mr. Suresh worked as FCI Zonal Manager in Chennai, and thereafter as the Chairman of the Port Trust. He was on deputation during those years.
The petitioner contended that the FIR could not be registered without the consent of the Madhya Pradesh government. The IX Additional Special Judge for CBI cases, Chennai, dismissed his discharge petitions. Hence, the present petition before the High Court.
The Special Public Prosecutor for CBI cases, N. Chandrasekharan, said Mr. Suresh, before joining duty in Madhya Pradesh on August 24, 2009, had availed himself of leave and was on the Centre’s pay.
Mr. Justice Venugopal said the investigation was carried out in respect of the period when Mr. Suresh was in the service of the FCI and the Chennai Port Trust. The alleged amassing wealth had taken place when he was in Central government service and not in Madhya Pradesh. Hence, there was no requirement for the Madhya Pradesh government to grant consent under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act.