The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to conduct and complete the further investigation in three months into the charge of corruption against Bishwanath Sinha, former Managing Director of the Kerala Cooperative Bank and now Principal Secretary, Electronics and Information Technology Department.
Justice R. Narayana Pisharady passed the order while dismissing a petition filed by Mr. Sinha challenging the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court’s order rejecting the final report for dropping the charges and directing the VACB to conduct further investigation.
The allegation against the IAS officer was that he and the other accused entered into a conspiracy and misused their official position and public office and diluted procedure to grant a loan of ₹350 lakh to a firm, causing loss to the bank.
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In fact, the Vigilance special court had on an earlier occasion rejected the final report seeking to drop further action on the ground that there was no scope for the successful prosecution of the accused. The court had then directed to conduct a further investigation. The Vigilance court had again returned the final report filed by the VACB seeking to close the case after further investigation. It had once again been directed it to conduct further investigation.
The court observed that the Vigilance court found that further investigation was required and it had given reasons for ordering a further investigation. The court could not find sufficient ground to interfere with the Vigilance court’s order.
The court directed the VACB to conduct and complete the further investigation without waiting for any approval of the competent authority under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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