The Supreme Court on Wednesday indicated that the bribery case against Madurai Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer Angit Tiwari could be transferred to another central agency such as the CBI, instead of being handled by the ED itself.
The case stems from allegations that Tiwari took Rs 20 lakh as a bribe from Suresh Babu, a government doctor working in Dindigul district, allegedly to help him escape an assets-disproportionate-to-income case. Tamil Nadu Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) police arrested the officer red-handed, according to the State.
After the arrest, the ED sought permission to conduct a departmental inquiry against Tiwari, but the Dindigul magistrate court dismissed the request. The ED then moved the Supreme Court seeking an interim stay on the DVAC investigation.
Appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, senior advocate Guru Krishnakumar argued that since the officer was caught while accepting the bribe, the ED’s claim that the case was falsely registered raised concerns about impartiality if the ED were to probe it. The bench, led by Chief Justice Suryakant along with Justices Jaymalyya Bhakshi and V. Mohana, refused to lift the interim stay on the DVAC probe and observed that, if the allegations are true, the matter should be investigated by an agency other than the ED, such as the CBI. The hearing was adjourned.
