SC junks plea against TN Crime Branch chief Sait

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) In a major relief to Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) and Crime Branch chief Jaffar Sait, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea challenging a Madras High Court order quashing a criminal case against him.A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi junked the appeal filed by an A. Shankar through counsel Amit Anand Tiwari.In his plea, Shankar sought to set aside the Madras High Court May 23 order quashing a chargesheet against Jait.The petitioner told the court that the High Court judgment was untenable. He said the judgment was passed without making the complainant a party in the proceedings.The High Court quashed the case on the ground that the Union Home Ministry had refused to grant sanction for prosecution way back in 2013 and yet the case was kept pending for nearly six years.The case related to alleged loss caused to the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) while getting a residential plot allotted.The case was registered on July 23, 2011 on a complaint filed by petitioner Shankar.The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) probed the case.The petitioner maintained that Sait's acts were not in discharge of his official duties and therefore no prior sanction was required for his prosecution.
--IANS ak/mr