Mumbai: The Bombay High Court today asked
Maharashtra`s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to explain why it
took seven years to file a chargesheet in a disproportionate
assets case against a former excise inspector.
One Reshma Singh, facing trial along with Manjitsingh
Khera, a former inspector of Flying Squad of Excise
Department, and others had moved the High Court, saying the
whole case should be quashed because of delays.
The finances of Khera, who allegedly acquired assets
worth Rs 43 lakh between 1980 and 1990, came under scanner of
authorities in 1982. However, an FIR under Prevention of
Corruption Act was filed in 1992 after a raid was conducted on
his houses in Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad.
Further, a chargesheet was filed in 1999 and recording
of evidence began only last year, said Singh`s lawyer.
Subjecting an accused person to such a delayed
proceeding violates his/her fundamental right to liberty under
Article 21 of Constitution, he maintained.
Interestingly, ACB made Singh a co-accused saying she
was Khera`s daughter, and he had purchased some of the
properties in her name. But Singh`s case is she was not his
daughter, and he was merely a "family friend" of her parents,
Major A B Singh and Mini Kaur.
A Division Bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Pramod
Kode said it would not go into these facts, but asked the
prosecution to explain the delay.
-PTI
