‘Cops sought no nod to prosecute another MLA’

The RTI query was filed by activist Anil Galgli, who said he sought the information after Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil refused to sanction to prosecute Singh.

In his RTI application, Galgli had asked Mumbai police about the number of cases in which they proceeded to prosecute the accused only after they received sanction, the ones in which they did not seek sanction and the ones in which they sought permission from the Assembly Speaker.

In one of the replies, by Marine Drive Police Station, the officials admitted having preferred to prosecute independent MLA Bachchu Kadu, in an offence registered at the Marine Drive Police Station under sections 332, 353 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) without permission from Assembly Speaker.

“In case of MLA Kadu he was not allowing an official to discharge his duty and it amounted to assaulting a Government servant. The same principle should have been applied in the case of MLA Kripashankar Singh,” said Galgali.

In 2010, social activist Sanjay Tiwari had approached the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) in connection with Singh’s disproportionate assets. Later he had filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court regarding action against Singh for having disproportionate assets.

Tiwari had listed 15 of Singh’s properties whose information he had procured through the RTI Act. Among them were a bungalow and a triplex flat in Bandra, besides other properties .

The Bombay High Court division bench headed by CJ Mohit Shah, had delivered an in-depth verdict indicting Singh along with his family members for amassing unaccounted wealth exceeding crores of rupees. The Apex Court too turning down Singh’s plea against the Bombay High Court order, had directed the SIT headed by the Mumbai Police Commissioner to proceed with prosecution of Singh and others.
santoshee.mishra@expressindia.com