In major relief to the Kejriwal Government, a local court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to release the documents seized by it during a raid at the office of the Delhi Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar.
The court said the CBI cannot retain the documents in the garb of the argument that investigation is in progress without whispering the fact in what manner they are related to the case Kumar.
During a minute long trial, Special CBI Judge Ajay Kumar Jain also directed the probe agency to release the original documents which it seized. The court also stated that the agency is at liberty to inspect the original documents at any point of time by visiting Rajendra Kumar’s office.
The Delhi Government had earlier filed a plea seeking some of the documents seized by the CBI during the raid on December 15 last year. In its application, the Delhi Government had also sought initiation of stringent action against erring officials responsible for raiding “malafidely the office of applicant and seizing documents which cause immense dislocation of work in the office of the applicant.”
“The sole objective of the raid at ‘said premises’ was to intrude, obstruct and dislocate the work of government of NCT of Delhi as such and cause immense harm, juxtaposed with State’s functions to secure societal reforms, welfare, security and privacy,” the plea stated.
In its submission, the Delhi Government counsel Rahul Mehra stated that the CBI in its reply has nowhere categorically stated that the documents in any way are related to the investigation of the present case.
“It is not even alleged by the CBI in their reply during the arguments that accused Rajendra Kumar or any other public servant has any decision making role in these files. CBI not ready to disclose during arguments any reason before this court for what purpose they require the above documents. They have only taken a vague plea that the investigation is still going at its desired pace,” the plea stated.
The CBI had also stated that there could be any forgery in these documents but on specific enquiry by the court, it was unable to point out the forgery. It was also not able to disclose any reason for seizing of documents as requested in this application and just stated that investigation is going on at desired pace.
Earlier on December 23 last year, the court had directed that photocopies of the files mentioned in the Government’s plea be supplied to it by December 28 last year.
The CBI had registered a case against Kumar and others on the allegations that he had abused his official position by “favouring a particular firm in the last few years in getting tenders from Delhi government departments”.