MADURAI/DINDIGUL: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has dismissed a petition seeking to transfer the DVAC's bribery case against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer Ankit Tiwari to the CBI. The petitioner, J Vivek, in his public interest litigation, claimed people in various political parties were vengeful against the ED for conducting raids on properties of people involved in financial crimes. Hence, the DVAC sleuths entered the ED office without authorisation and arrested Tiwari, he added.
The petitioner also claimed that the DVAC officials entered the ED office with a malafide intention to take away materials that validate allegations against the members of the ruling party in the state. "This action of the DVAC is politically motivated and if it continues, it would affect the rights and duties of the state and central governments. Hence, it is necessary to file a case to the CBI," he further said.
After the state counsel submitted that they have powers to investigate the case against the ED officer under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Bench of Justices M Sundar and R Sakthivel on Friday dismissed the petition.
Meanwhile, Ankit Tiwari's petition seeking an A-class room in prison came up for hearing in Dindigul Judicial Magistrate Court on Friday. Citing that Tiwari is a postgraduate and a central government employee, the ED officer's advocate sought the facility. The government counsel opposed providing the A-class room. After hearing both arguments, Dindigul Chief Judicial Magistrate J Mohana ordered the authorities to provide an A-class room in Madurai Central Prison for Tiwari.