CBI files charges in bribery case, does not name judge's kin

CBI lawyer Sandeep Shinde today told the high court that the agency filed its chargesheet before a special CBI court here yesterday against four persons but did not include Mhase's name as the forensic report on voice samples was not conclusive.

In October last year, CBI had arrested Manisha, daughter of retired high court judge and chairperson of the Maharashtra Consumer Redressal Forum S B Mhase and two others for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30 lakh from the complainant, to get a favourable order passed in a matter pending pending before the National Consumer Redressal Forum.

CBI had based its case against Manisha on telephone conversation between the complainant and a co-accused Sunil Shirole.

The agency did not name Manisha as an accused in the case as forensic report from a Hyderabad lab of the telephonic conversations between the accused and the complainant was not conclusive and did not identify Manisha's voice from the conversations.

Following this, the investigating agency had sought a second opinion from a forensic lab in Chandigarh which was yet to be received.

A division bench of Justices S A Bobde and R G Ketkar had earlier pulled up CBI for delay in filing chargesheet in the case.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Shakil Meer Khan seeking court supervision on the CBI probe.

According to CBI, there was another lady during the conversation who identified herself as Manisha and told the complainant that she could use her father's influence to get a favourable order.