SC terms both parties to PIL as "dubious", seeks reports

"Both sides appear to be dubious," the Supreme Court today said in a sharp reaction as it heard a PIL by a businessman against an Uttar Pradesh MLC who is accused in money laundering and criminal cases.
The bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur also sought fresh status reports from central agencies like Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on alleged activities of BSP's Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Mohammad Iqbal.
Simultaneously, the court asked the UP government to apprise it of the criminal antecedents of petitioner Ranvir Singh, who has filed the PIL against the BSP lawmaker.

"Both sides appear to be dubious and cases against both of them should be taken to logical conclusions. Find put the facts. This man (Iqbal) has 111 companies and this petitioner (Singh) appears to be involved in illegal mining," the bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi, said.
At the outset, Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, appearing for the Centre, apprised the court about the present status of probes, being conducted by SFIO, ED and CBDT, against the BSP leader.
The bench asked the ASG as to why the agencies were not probing all the 111 companies and confining the investigation to six firms only.

The law officer said the probe conducted so far has indicated that there was some nexus with the alleged activities of former U P Minister Babu Singh Khushwaha, an accused in NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) scam, and the companies attached to the MLC.

The bench, which has now fixed the PIL for hearing on April 25, has sought fresh probe reports from SFIO, ED and CBDT on Iqbal's alleged activities.
It also asked Gaurav Bhatia, Additional Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh, to file a status report indicating the total number of cases and their present status against petitioner Singh.

The court had earlier termed the case as part of the
"turf war" between the parties.
The petition, filed by Singh, has accused the MLC of indulging in money laundering and other criminal activities.
Senior advocate and Additional Solicitor General in previous UPA regime Haren Raval, appearing for Singh, had alleged that the MLC was not only involved in money laundering activities but was involved in criminal activities which had inter-state implications.
However, his submission was opposed by Iqbal's senior counsel S P Singh, who said there was not a single criminal case registered against him and the matter before the apex court was due to political vendetta.

He had said 88 companies are being investigated by CBI in connection with NRHM scam and it is a matter in which both Ranvir Singh and Iqbal should be investigated and added that the petition could be sent to CBI, treating it as a complaint.