SC REJECTS PLEA AGAINST BJP LEADERS IN ‘TOOLKIT’ CASE

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with an order by the Chhattisgarh high court staying investigation against former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra in the alleged “toolkit” case but told the high court not to be influenced by the observations made during the stay in deciding the plea against the FIR.

The Chhattisgarh government moved a petition against the June 11 interim order passed by a single judge of the high court that said the FIR against Singh and Patra, among others, was politically motivated, borne out of political grudge and rivalry, and none of the offences in the FIR were made out. The court order came on separate petitions by Singh and Patra.

Satisfied that a prima facie case was made out for staying of the FIR, the HC stayed further proceedings and sought a response by the government.

Dismissing the state’s appeal against the interim order, the bench headed by CJI NV Ramana said, “The special leave petition is dismissed. We request the High Court to dispose the petition expeditiously. The observations (made in the order) will not come in the way of the High Court in deciding the matter.”

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Chhattisgarh government told the Supreme Court that with the scathing observations passed by high court, there was no scope left for the state government to get a fair hearing.

“The case made out by the court says that the FIR is only on the ground of malafide and political grudge. Since he is a political person, these findings are given straight away that no case is made out. What is left for me to go back for?” Singhvi said.