Treasure Island case: Digvijay Singh gets clean chit from CBI

INDORE: Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh has been given a clean chit by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday in a 2008 case for alleged irregularities in construction of a mall in Indore.

Madhya Pradesh high court (MPHC) had ordered the CBI to probe into it.

After nearly one and a half year of probe, the CBI in its report presented to additional session judge DN Mishra came to the conclusion that there was no evidence on record on the basis of which charges can be levelled against the Congress leader.

The CBI took over the case in 2012 on orders of Indore bench of HC, which had directed it to probe the role of senior officials of MP government, former chief minister Digvijay Singh, former chief secretary A B Singh and former environment and housing minister Choudhary Rakesh Singh.

Social activist Mahesh Garg had filed a complaint with state Economic Offence Wing (EOW) in 2009 alleging irregularities in construction of Treasure Island (TI) mall. Counsellor of petitioner Manohar Dalal said they will file a protest petition against the CBI report and demand probe. "We reject this report," Dalal added.

Special persecutor of EOW Ashlesh Sharma said EOW had filed charge-sheet in the case in 2011 against four accused, including Manish Kalani, owner of the TI Mall, former chairman of MP Housing Board Chandra Prabhash Shekhar and then principal secretary of environment and housing department U K Samal and D P Tiwari. Though evidence of complicity have been found against assistant engineer Ashvani Janvade and building officer Rakesh Sharma, charge- sheet was not filed against them as sanction for their prosecution was awaited. They have been charged under sections 420 (cheating), 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and relevant sections of Anti-corruption Act, 1988.

"CBI approved the EOW charge-sheet and did not find evidence in addition to EOW report," Sharma said.