Ramesh Jarkiholi sex CD case: Karnataka HC directs SIT head to examine probe reports and pass orders
Earlier, the court had raised questions over the absence of supervision by the head of the SIT, who was on leave for a major part of the probe between May to July due to personal reasons.
FollowThe Karnataka High Court directed IPS officer Soumendhu Mukherjee, head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged sex-for-job CD case involving former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and a counter-complaint of extortion filed by the former BJP minister, to examine reports prepared by his colleagues and pass appropriate orders.
A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, extended the interim order restraining the SIT from submitting the final report before the magistrate. Earlier this year, in July, the SIT had placed reports of its investigation into sexual assault and extortion complaints before the High Court while seeking permission to file them in a lower court.
A division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum in its order noted, “Learned counsel for respondent 4 (SIT) has placed before the court the report prepared under section 173 CrPC, by MC Kavitha, ACP who was instructed to continue the investigation, report progress of the case to the head of investigation team. In reference to the police commissioner's letter dated 29/03/2021,” LiveLaw reported.
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Earlier, the court had raised questions over the absence of supervision by the head of the SIT, who was on leave for a major part of the probe between May to July due to personal reasons.
The bench examined the report submitted by the SIT and noted that it was signed by Joint Commissioner of Police Sandeep Patil and not by Additional Commissioner of Police Soumendhu Mukherjee, head of the SIT.
“We are of the considered view that once the SIT was constituted, which was headed by the Additional Commissioner of Police Mr Soumendhu Mukherjee (IPS), the report prepared by M C Kavita ACP should have been placed before the head of the SIT and it was to be approved by the head of the SIT. Let this report be submitted before the head of the SIT for his appropriate order. The report thereafter may be submitted before the court in a sealed cover on the next date,” the court said while adjourning the matter’s hearing to November 29.
