Probe reports against Sunil Tatkare submitted to HC

The state Anti Corruption Bureau, city police's Economic Offences Wing and the Collector of Raigad district today submitted their final probe reports against the Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Sunil Tatkare in the alleged money laundering and land grabbing.
The high court had in October last year directed the agencies to complete their investigations within three months.
Following this, the ACB, EOW and Collector Raigad submitted their final reports in sealed envelopes to a division bench of Justices S J Vazifdar and G S Patel.
The agencies were directed to conduct probe after a public interest litigation was filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya.

Somaiya had sought CBI probe into alleged money laundering and land grabbing by various companies floated by Tatkare and his relatives.
The investigating agencies had time and again faced the ire of the high court for failing to conduct a fair probe against the minister and his family.

The high court had in the last hearing, while asking the agencies to submit their final reports, said if it was not satisfied with the manner in which the probe was conducted then it would be compelled to consider handing over the investigation to an independent agency like the CBI.
The bench today said it would peruse the reports and posted the matter for hearing on January 24.

Somaiya has listed 51 companies formed by Tatkare, which have his family members and friends as directors, and alleged that they purchased benami lands in Maharashtra and indulged in money-laundering, causing loss to the public exchequer.
Tatkare, who holds water resources portfolio in Maharashtra cabinet, has termed the petition as "false, malicious and politically motivated" in his reply affidavit.