Delhi HC rejects Kirti Azad's plea for SIT probe into DDCA affairs

New Delhi: In a setback to dissident BJP MP Kirti Azad, Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed his plea for a court-monitored SIT probe into the affairs of the DDCA when it was headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, saying it is "premature".

Disposing of the petition by Azad, which was supported among others by former cricketer Bishen Singh Bedi, the court said that CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry only on October 23, 2015, and has not had a reasonable time to investigate the case.

"This court is also of the opinion that a special investigation team as well as a court-monitored investigation should be ordered in the rarest of rare cases and not for the asking and that too on the sole ground that the petitioners have an apprehension that CBI would not investigate the matter fairly as some of the allegations are directed against a sitting Union Minister.

"Neither any basis for the apprehension nor any allegations against any official of CBI have been made in the present writ petition," Justice Manmohan said in a five-page order.

The judge also observed that after all, CBI is a premier investigating agency and in the past, it has successfully investigated the conduct of various sitting ministers.

"Consequently, as the preliminary enquiry has been registered and investigation is continuing, this court is of the opinion that the present writ petition is not maintainable," he said.

Azad, who has been campaigning against the alleged irregularities in the running of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), had demanded a court-monitored probe by an SIT besides cancellation of privileges, like concessional land, given to DDCA.