The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of Haryana legislators, Abhay and Ajay Chautala on the issue of Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) needing prior permission of Assembly speaker before initiating prosecution proceedings against them in a disproportionate assets case.

In this way the Honourable Court of Justices V.S. Sirpurkar and T.S. Thakur have cleared the way for the prosecution of the Indian National Lok Dal legislators by the Federal Investigation Agency. Refusing to grant any relief to the Chautalas, the Court upheld the Delhi High Court order for prosecution.

The Chautala brothers had challenged a trial court order summoning them in a disproportionate assets case filed by the CBI. They claimed that prior sanction was necessary to prosecute the MLA’s as provided under Section 197 of CrPC but the CBI had failed to obtain the same as they were the MLAs by whom the offence was allegedly committed.

The CBI had filed the charge sheet in December last year in which it claimed that they had accumulated massive wealth which was disproportionate to their known sources of income. Against Ajay, the CBI claimed that he was in possession of assets three times to his income and his brother Abhay was in possession of assets five times to his income. The agency claimed to have found Rs.119.69 crore worth of assets.

Chautala’s assets case- Apex Court rejects Chautala brother’s plea

Report by Vibhanshu Vaibhav