With the change in government in Maharashtra, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe an allegation levelled by Shiv Sena MP has been disbanded. The order for closing the investigation and disbanding the SIT was taken this week.
Chief Public Prosecutor Aruna Pai, representing the SIT of Mumbai police, on Wednesday submitted that the probe by the agency against businessman Jitendra Navlani had been closed.
After hearing the statement made by Pai on instructions, the division bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and NR Borkar dismissed the petition filed by Navlani.
The bench said that since the probe was closed, the petition filed by Navlani seeking quashing of the probe against him could be dismissed. During an earlier hearing, the Bombay High Court had sought the probe report of SIT.
To inquire into Navlani’s case, the SIT was set up by the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai on March 31, this year. The SIT summoned the directors / representatives of the victim / witness companies mentioned in the complaint by Shiv Sena leader Arvind Bhosale.
“Their detailed answers are recorded from the information given by them. The SIT did not find facts or evidence in support of allegations made by complainant Arvind Bhosale of criminal conspiracy, extortion and fraud in his complaint. Therefore, the preliminary inquiry has been closed with the approval of the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai,” stated an officer.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Navlani is said to be a close aide of the former Mumbai police commissioner, Param Bir Singh, who was not on good terms with the earlier Maharashtra government led by Uddhav Thackeray.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in February alleged that Navlani had extorted a sum of Rs 59 crore in his seven companies from various builders/corporates who were facing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). It was also alleged Navlani was a conduit on behalf of the officers of the agency who collected money from the corporates investigated by the agency to settle the matters.
Later, Shiv Sena leader Arvind Bhosale filed a complaint alleging that Navlani was a recovery agent of the ED.
On March 8, the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police registered a PE and as soon as a Special Investigation Team was formed, the case was transferred to it.
Navlani’s plea prayed for a stay on the PE as the “state investigation agency will misuse their powers and get an FIR registered at the earliest and arrest Navlani as they are waiting to do so.”
Navlani’s plea while seeking interim protection from arrest and also seeking quashing of the PE states that “the state of Maharashtra itself has initiated the inquiry through the minister. He did not dare to be a complainant himself and so he asked one of his stooges to do so. This is a politically connected matter between the (then) ruling party and an ex-Commissioner of police who exposed the shallow and illegal dealing of the persons in power a result of which there has been shaking up the entire state.”
The plea further added, “Even the current SIT is completely biased. They have been misbehaving with the lawyers of Navlani. The persons mentioned in the complaint have not even been summoned by the police to date, but Navlani is apprehensive of misbehaviour and coercive action and therefore the present petition has been filed.”
While the SIT probe is shut, the probe in the same case by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) against Navlani and others has been stayed by the Bombay High Court. This stay came about in the petition filed by ED against ACB . On Wednesday, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh appearing for the central agency had sought an adjournment of two weeks, which was granted by the bench.
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