By Express News Service
KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to conduct and complete the further investigation in three months into the charge of corruption against first accused Bishwanath Sinha, former managing director of the Kerala Cooperative Bank and now principal secretary, Electronics and Information Technology Department.
Justice R Narayana Pisharady issued the order while dismissing a petition filed by Bishwanath Sinha challenging the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court’s order rejecting the final report for dropping the charges and directing the VACB to conduct further investigation.
The allegation against the IAS officer that he and other accused entered into a conspiracy and misused their official position and public office and diluting the routine procedure had granted a loan of 350 lakh to a firm, causing loss to the bank. In fact, The Vigilance Special Court had rejected earlier a final report dropping further action on the ground that there was no scope for the successful prosecution of the accused.
The Special Court had directed to conduct a further investigation. The Special Court had again returned the final report filed by VACB seeing to close the case, after conducting further investigation and directed it to conduct further investigation.
The court observed that the Special court found that further investigation was required and it had given reasons for ordering a further investigation. The court could not find sufficient ground to interfere with the Special Court’s order.
The court directed the VACB to conduct and complete the further investigation without waiting for any approval of the competent authority under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The prosecution submitted that there was not even an application obtained from the company to which the loan was granted by the Bank. It also produced the letters sent by the petitioner to the senior manager of the bank insisting on the disbursement of the loan amount even without complying with the necessary formalities and even threatening disciplinary actions against the senior manager.