Court wants evidence to be collected on all assets owned by Kripashankar and his family, including wife, son and daughter- in- law, who too may face prosecution...

SADHNA KUMAR Mumbai

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the city police commissioner to prosecute the Mumbai Congress president Kripashankar Singh for " criminal misconduct" under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court was disposing of a PIL filed by activist Sanjay Tiwari, alleging that Kripashankar had amassed wealth disproportionate to his known source of income.

The verdict had an immediate impact and Kripashankar Singh has resigned from his post. The resignation has been sent to the party high command and a formal announcement is expected to emanate from New Delhi.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Roshan Dalvi of the Bombay High Court passed the order.

The petitioner had alleged in the PIL that Kripashankar had been close to the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Madhu Koda, who is currently in jail in a multi- crore hawala scam, and several monetary transactions had taken place between Singh and Koda.

Incidentally, Singhs son Narendra Mohan is married to Ankita, daughter of Kamlesh Singh, who was a minister in the Koda cabinet and is also in jail in connection with the hawala scam. Ankita had received Rs 1.75 crore in her account from Kamlesh, the PIL has alleged, adding that there were huge transactions from the bank accounts of Kripashankars wife Malti Devi, too.

While acting on the PIL the court remarked, " The commissioner of police hall obtain sanction from the government to prosecute Kripashankar Singh for criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act." The Judges further said, " The CP shall collect documentary evidence regarding all movable and immovable properties of Mr. Kripashankar and his family, including his wife, son and daughter- in- law, who will also be prosecuted for aiding in the crime." The court further said, " The immovable properties of Kripashankar shall be attached.

We do not want to pass any directions regarding the bank accounts of the respondents as it is alleged that the money might have been siphoned off".

The court observed, " The PIL shall be treated as FIR and the report submitted by the state Anti- Corruption Bureau in March 2011 showing Kripashankars income and expenditure shall be treated as investigation." The court rejected the prayer of Kripashankars lawyer seeking stay on the order and directed the City police Commissioner to file compliance report on April 19. Appearing for Kripashankar, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi termed the PIL as a politically motivated action and said, " It is a Political Interest Litigation filed to malign the image of Singh and his family. Petitioner Sanjay Tiwari, under the garb of an RTI activist, is riding piggyback on the interests of BJP. It is a case between the BJP and the Congress."