SC stops monitoring probe against ex-Mumbai Cong chief, family

The Supreme Court today put an end to the investigation monitored by it against former Mumbai Congress chief Kripashankar Singh and his family members for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets and left it to the trial court to consider supplying final report to activists on whose PIL the probe was ordered.
"We make it clear if an application is filed by the writ petitioners (activists) seeking final report before the Magistrate, the final report or closure report will be filed by the investigating agency before the Magistrate who will consider the same in accordance with law," a bench comprising justices H L Dattu and M Y Eqbal said.

Disposing of the petition filed by Singh and his family members, it asked the apex court registry to transmit all the reports filed before it in a sealed cover from time to time to the Maharashtra Government's counsel Shekhar Naphade for taking further action.
The bench, however, did not accpet the plea of the state government that the petitioners should be restrained from making any further allegations against the police authorities in connection with the case as they had made in the writ petition before the Bombay High Court.
Singh's counsel Mukul Rohatgi submitted that since the investigation was complete, the apex court should put an end to the probe which was being monitored by it. Senior advocate U U Lalit and Vivek Tankha, appearing for Congress leader's relatives also adopted the same submission.

Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, appearing for PIL petitioners Sanjay Tiwari and others, submitted that they should be permitted to have the copy of the final report or closure report which may be filed by the investigators.
In case a closure report is filed by the investigators then Tiwari and others may prefer protest petitions, he said.
Singh had resigned as Mumbai Congress Chief after the Bombay High Court on February 22, 2012 directed the city police commissioner to prosecute him and his family members for criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act.