EOW seeks 3 months to complete probe in de-silting and road scam

RAP HC slammed the agency for its slow pace but granted the time sought by investigators

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Tuesday urged Bombay High Court to grant three months’ time to the agency to complete its probe in the infamous desilting and road scam.

The HC slammed the agency for its slow pace but however granted the time sought by the investigators.

The Division Bench of Justice Rajendra Savant and Justice Sadhana Jadhav heard a criminal Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Vivekanand Gupta, a member of BJP. He had sought enquiry into these alleged scams wherein hundreds of civic officials and contracts are arraigned as accused.

The judges were informed that the EOW has come across some more angles in the de-silting scam and is looking into them. As regards the road scam, the judges were told that the Azad Maidan police has already filed its charge-sheet in the case and the EOW is probing the scam further.

The public prosecutor also told the judges that the EOW’s expert team has to collect some samples from various roads and have to send the same for analysis.

The prosecutor cited ‘rains’ as the biggest hurdle for them in collecting the samples and accordingly sought three months’ time so that it can proceed after the monsoons.

Irked by the submission, Justice Jadhav said, “How many more rainy seasons do you want to complete this task? This matter is going on since last year.”

Interestingly, the civic body patted its own back by informing the judges that it was the complainant in the case and have now started blacklisting contractors.

Posting the matter for further hearing after four weeks, the judges have asked the civic body to cooperate with the investigating agency.

The judges were informed that the EOW has come across some more angles in the de-silting scam and is looking into them