Bengaluru Urban DC moves High Court seeking CBI probe

source:thehindu.com

He questions constitution of SIT when new ordinance on unregulated schemes mandates CBI investigation

Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru District (Urban) B.M. Vijayshankar, who was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for allegedly taking a bribe of ₹1.5 crore for sending a favourable report about I Monetary Advisory (IMA) Group, moved the High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday seeking a CBI probe.

It was claimed in his petition that the State government had no jurisdiction to set up the SIT to probe the FIR registered against IMA in view of the promulgation of the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes (BUDS) Ordinance 2019 by the President of India on February 21, 2019. The petition is yet to come up for hearing.

It was also contended that the probe on the FIR should be transferred to the CBI in view of Section 29 and 30 of the BUDS Ordinance, 2019, as the provisions indicate that the police officer on recording information of commission of offence under the Ordinance should inform the competent authority. On receipt of information, the authority will have to refer the matter to the Centre to order a CBI probe when the amount involved is of such a magnitude that significantly affects public interest.

Mr. Vijayshankar claimed that he had merely forwarded a report on IMA received from a Deputy Inspector General of Police. He also sought direction to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office to probe the IMA case.

Pointing out that he was appointed as a competent authority under the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act, 2004, he questioned the notice issued to him by the SIT on July 6.