SC dismisses CBI’s plea challenging stay on probe against DK Shivakumar
HC has stayed CBI probe against him in corruption case
In a relief to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the high court order putting a stay on the CBI probe against him in a corruption case.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai, CT Ravikumar and Sanjay Kumar dismissed the appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation against the February 10 order of the single judge bench of the high court.
The single judge bench extended the stay several times before finally dismissing Shivakumar’s petition challenging the FIR lodged by the CBI in the corruption case. The matter is currently pending before a division bench of the high court, which in June continued with the stay on the CBI’s investigation.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the CBI, submitted the division bench of the high court has also imposed an interim stay on the proceedings.
“We have challenged the stay by the division bench in separate proceedings. If that is decided in my favour, this stay order (by single judge) goes. This is not an independent order. Kindly tag both the petitions,” Raju said referring to the petitions the CBI has filed against the order of both the single bench and the division bench staying the probe.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Shivakumar said the CBI has filed an appeal in the apex court against an interim order of the high court but it has refused to challenge subsequent interim orders passed by the division bench of the high court.
“Several interim orders were passed by the division bench of the high court but only one order (of interim stay on probe) has been challenged by the CBI. The matter is still pending before the high court,” he said, adding pleading is complete before the division bench as arguments are over and counter affidavits have been filed.
The bench then said it is not going to interfere with the high court order and granted CBI the liberty to request the high court for expeditious disposal of the case before it.
On February 10, the Karnataka High Court had stayed the CBI proceedings in the corruption case against Shivakumar.
