New Delhi, Feb 13: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking probe into the alleged irregularities in purchase of the AgustaWestland helicopters for VIPs by the Chhattisgarh government. The plea was filed by NGO Swaraj Abhiyan and T.S. Singhdeo, the leader of the Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly.
Reacting over the court’s ruling, Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh said,”This petition was motivated by political interests. From people’s court they have been defeated thrice, that is why they are indulging in such tactics.”
The petitioners have alleged that in July 2008, a bank account in the name of ‘Abhishak Singh’ (son of the chief minister Raman Singh) was opened in British Virgin Islands, and on August 1, 2008, one of the firms which was purportedly involved in the deal was wound up.
They have claimed that there was a “strong possibility” that the money paid as commission in this deal has ultimately reached to the foreign bank account. However, the Chhattisgarh government had denied the allegations and accused the Swaraj Abhiyan of taking its political battle to the court without even filing an FIR.
Earlier on February 1, the Supreme Court had posed searching questions to the Chhattisgarh government on the purchase of a AgustaWestland helicopter for VIP use in 2006-07 and asked what was the “interest” of Chief Minister Raman Singh’s son in this.
A bench comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit asked the state about the allegations of irregularities in the purchase of helicopter and foreign bank accounts purportedly linked to the chief minister’s son, on which a probe has been sought in the petitions filed before it.
(With inputs from agencies)