24 Jan 2024 5:11 PM GMT
In a significant development on Wednesday (January 24), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has petitioned the Supreme Court for the transfer of an investigation into bribery allegations against its officer, Ankit Tiwari, from the Tamil Nadu Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department (DVAC) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In a bid to establish a pattern of obstruction by the Tamil Nadu authorities, the central agency has drawn attention to the alleged interference of the state government in a probe into a money laundering case related to illegal sand mining amounting to over Rs 4700 crores. It termed Tamil Nadu's writ petition filed in the Madras High Court seeking restrictions on the agency's authority to investigate offences within the territorial limits of a state without the state government's consent as an attempt to curtail the ED's powers, which are contrary to the principles of federalism and separation of powers.
Furthermore, the ED raised concerns about a controversial search conducted at its Madurai office on December 1, 2023. The petition alleges that unidentified individuals, accompanied by DVAC officials, accessed sensitive investigation files unrelated to the bribery case for which the search was purportedly conducted. In its latest petition, the ED has accused the state machinery of employing such actions to obstruct its lawful investigations against powerful individuals, including ministers and government servants.
In light of these alleged hindrances, the Enforcement Directorate has sought the intervention of the Supreme Court, requesting a transfer of the bribery case against Ankit Tiwari to the Central Bureau of Investigation. In defence of this request, the petition has not only stressed the necessity for a fair and impartial investigation, but also expressed apprehensions that the DVAC's motives might be to undermine the morale of other ED officers and impede PMLA investigations in Tamil Nadu.
Last month, the Madras High Court denied Tiwari's request for bail. The ED officer is currently in custody.
Case Details
Directorate of Enforcement v. State of Tamil Nadu