Trace absconding accused in Dabholkar, Pansare cases: Bombay HC tells probe agencies
Mumbai, Nov 22: The Bombay High Court Thursday directed the CBI and the Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) to take concrete steps to trace the absconding persons wanted in connection with the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.
A bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Bharati Dangre said since the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the CID had dedicated teams to probe the killings of Dabholkar and Pansare respectively, they must make major headway in the cases in a time-bound manner.
The directions came after both the probe agencies submitted their respective progress reports in sealed covers before the bench.
The CBI is handling the Dabholkar case, while the CID is probing Pansare's killing.
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, who appeared for the CBI, told the bench that the agency was waiting for a prior sanction from the state government to prosecute some persons in the case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
He said waiting for the sanction was one of the reasons for some delay in the CBI probe.
CID counsel Ashok Mundargi told the bench the state agency had secured the custody of Amol Kale, one of the alleged key conspirators in the murders of anti-superstition activist Dabholkar and journalist Gauri Lankesh, on November 15 this year.
Mundargi said Kale is also an accused in the Pansare case and that the CID was still in the process of questioning him.
At this, the bench said while Kale's custody was one positive step, the authorities must also make more effort towards tracing the other absconding accused persons.
"What are the steps taken to trace other accused persons? You must make more sincere efforts to trace other accused persons. You have dedicated teams to investigate both the cases and therefore, more is expected out of you," the bench said.
It directed both the CBI and the CID to submit their reports of further progress by December 14.
Dabholkar was shot dead on August 20, 2013, in Pune during a morning walk.
Pansare was shot at on February 16, 2015, in his hometown Kolhapur and he succumbed to injuries on February 20.
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CBI questions Anil Ambani for second day in connection with 2,929-cr RCom case
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New Delhi (PTI): The CBI on Friday questioned industrialist Anil Ambani for the second consecutive day in connection with a Rs 2,929-crore cheating case, registered against Reliance Communications Ltd and him on a complaint by the State Bank of India, officials said.
Ambani arrived at the agency headquarters at around 10 am, they said.
On Thursday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought his responses on alleged fund diversion, misappropriation and other irregularities in the loan funds issued to the company by the bank, they said.
"The appearance is in furtherance to Mr Ambani's commitment to extend full cooperation in the matter with all agencies," Anil D Ambani's Spokesperson had said in a statement on Thursday.
The CBI had booked Ambani in August last year for allegedly defrauding the SBI to the tune of Rs 2,929 crore, officials said.
According to the SBI complaint, now part of the FIR, the company had an outstanding of over Rs 40,000 crore to various lenders, with the public sector bank alone facing a loss of Rs 2,929 crore, according to 2018 figures.
The CBI booked Ambani and RCom for allegedly committing offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust.
"It is alleged that the accused persons, in criminal conspiracy, misrepresented and got sanctioned credit facilities from SBI in favour of Reliance Communication Ltd," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement in August last year.
Ambani's spokesperson responded, "Anil D Ambani denies all allegations and charges, and will duly defend himself."
According to sources, the agency also searched the Ambani residence 'Sea Wind' at Cuffe Parade in Mumbai.
The complaint filed by SBI pertains to matters dating back more than 10 years, according to Ambani's spokesperson.
At that time, Ambani was a non-executive director of the company, with no involvement in the day-to-day management, a statement from his spokesperson then said.
"The matter remains sub-judice, pending before the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) and other judicial forums, including the Supreme Court, for the past six years," it said.
Anil Ambani has duly challenged SBI's declaration before the competent judicial forum, it said.
