Rahul Gandhi moves SC against Allahabad HC order in disproportionate assets case

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court which directed the CBI and ED to verify the allegations of disproportionate assets against him.

As per the apex court cause list, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana is likely to hear the matter on August 17.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the CBI's response, the Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench on July 20 had directed the agency's senior officer to personally file a fresh affidavit detailing the progress made in the probe into allegations of disproportionate assets against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

The high court had also observed that if, during the course of its inquiry into the allegations, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) comes across material and documents indicating any illegality, it would be free to proceed further in accordance with law.

The high court was hearing a plea that sought an investigation by the CBI and the ED into allegations of disproportionate assets against the Congress leader.

The order was passed after an in-chamber hearing lasting nearly two hours in the criminal writ petition filed by Karnataka resident S Vignesh Shishir.

Vignesh, a BJP worker, had earlier filed pleas alleging that the Congress leader holds dual citizenship.

The high court had noted that the affidavit filed by the CBI was not in compliance with its earlier order and did not adequately explain the progress made on the complaint submitted by the petitioner against Gandhi related to his assets.

The court had directed the joint director or the head of the concerned zone at the CBI's Anti-Corruption headquarters in New Delhi to personally file a fresh affidavit before the next hearing, detailing the progress made in the matter.

The bench had treated the matter as part-heard and fixed August 20 as the next date of hearing.

The high court had also granted four weeks' time to the Union government to file detailed counter affidavits on behalf of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

It had also directed that the entire case record continue to remain in a sealed cover in the safe custody of the senior registrar, in terms of its earlier orders.

The high court bench has not been conducting an open court hearing of the matter, considering its sensitive nature.