Author: Supriya Jena

On Thursday, President Droupadi Murmu gave the green light to Delhi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain. They are being probed for problems with how the Delhi government built classrooms and school buildings. Manish Sisodia was in charge of education, while Satyendar Jain handled public works.

This permission comes under a law called Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which was changed by the government in July 2018. This law says that police or other agencies must ask for approval before they can start any investigation into corruption cases.

A report from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), dated February 17, 2020, pointed out major issues with how over 2,400 classrooms were built in Delhi schools by the Public Works Department (PWD). Last year, the Delhi government’s vigilance team suggested looking into this suspected scam and sent their findings to the chief secretary.

Earlier this Year: Sanction to Prosecute Satyendar Jain

On February 18, the President also allowed actions against Satyendar Jain in a money-laundering case. The Home Ministry asked for this permission based on evidence discovered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED found that Jain, who used to be the health minister, might have made illegal money with the help of companies he controlled. The CBI reported that Jain had assets worth ₹1.47 crore, much more than what he should have earned from his known jobs between 2015 and 2017. The ED also revealed that during 2015-2016, Jain, as a public servant, got money transferred through illegal means from fake companies.

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is looking into gold smuggling from Dubai after a complaint from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Recently, the DRI arrested actress Ranya Rao at Bengaluru’s Kempe Gowda International Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle over 14 kg of gold from Dubai. They also caught two foreigners at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport trying to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold worth ₹18.92 crore into India.

The DRI’s report showed that these two foreigners had come to Mumbai several times before, raising suspicions about a possible gold smuggling group operating out of Dubai. When DRI searched Ranya Rao’s home, they found gold jewelry worth ₹2.06 crore and cash amounting to ₹2.67 crore. Ranya has made many trips to Dubai, which officials say is concerning. The DRI thinks that some public servants might be involved and asked the CBI to investigate further. In response, the CBI has filed a case against unknown public workers and private individuals.

The Enforcement Directorate is also looking into the money laundering aspect involving Ranya and has conducted searches as part of this investigation.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court is asking why a police report (FIR) wasn’t filed after finding that five police officers were responsible for the death of a man involved in a Badlapur sexual assault case. The Maharashtra government stated they are already looking into the incident as an accidental death.

A group of judges, Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Neela Gokhale, held a meeting on Thursday to discuss if an FIR should be filed after a report from a magistrate blamed the five officers for the man’s death while he was in custody.

The man, Akshay Shinde, was accused of sexually assaulting two young girls in a school where he worked. He was arrested in August 2024 and died during what police called a shootout. This happened on September 23, 2024, while he was being taken from Taloja prison for questioning.

Police say he grabbed an officer’s gun and shot at them, which led to them firing back. A legal inquiry was conducted because of Shinde’s death in police custody. The magistrate’s report suggested that Shinde’s father’s claims of a fake encounter might be true, putting doubt on the officers’ self-defense claims.

Senior lawyer Amit Desai, representing the state, explained that they have already opened an accidental death report and the Crime Investigation Department (CID) is looking into Shinde’s death.

The judges questioned if an investigation can only be based on an accidental death report. They argued that if it becomes clear that the death was not accidental but was caused by someone, an FIR should be filed.

Desai responded that after the CID finishes its work, they will submit a final report that might either close the case or push for charges against someone.

Another lawyer appointed by the court emphasized that since the magistrate said it was an unnatural death, an FIR should be registered.

The police claim that Shinde took a gun during transport and opened fire, leading to him being shot by senior inspector Sanjay Shinde along with other officers present. He was being questioned in connection with a case his wife filed against him.