The Gujarat High Court on Friday rejected petitions by two state BJP leaders, including a minister, challenging proceedings initiated against them by a special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in the alleged Rs 400-crore fisheries scam.
It does "not see any good ground to interfere with the impugned order", the high court said.
Ishaq Maradia had filed a complaint against the two leaders in 2008, alleging that they flouted rules by allotting fishing contracts without floating tenders.
Solanki and Sanghani moved the HC after the ACB court in Gandhinagar issued summons to them after taking into account a ACB inquiry report.
Refusing relief to them, the high court said they can move a discharge application at a later stage.
The high court, however, converted the non-bailable warrants issued against them by the special court into bailable warrants.
Justice Pardiwala observed that "it is the rampant corruption indulged in with impunity by highly-placed persons that has led to economic unrest in this country" and corruption has "effectively arrested the progress of our society to prosperity."
"If the society in a developing country faces a menace greater than even the one from hired assassins to its law and order, then that is from the corrupt elements at the higher echelons of the Government and of the political parties," he further said.
The case dates back to 2008 when Solanki was MoS Fisheries and Sanghani the cabinet minister for agriculture.
Maradia alleged that Solanki was involved in a "scam" as he illegally granted contracts for fishing in 58 reservoirs across the state.
Based on his complaint, the special court ordered inquiry against the two leaders by the ACB.
Based on the inquiry report that suggested irregularities, the special ACB court issued proceedings against the two under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
After the Gujarat government led by then chief minister Narendra Modi refused the sanction to prosecute Solanki, Maradia moved the HC in 2012.
During past hearings in the HC, Solanki had said the contracts were granted by Sanghani as he was then designated as the cabinet minister.
Then Gujarat governor Kamla Beniwal, on July 30, 2012 overruled the state cabinet and sanctioned Solanki's prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Maradia then moved the ACB court demanding criminal prosecution of Solanki and Sanghani.
After the case was registered against Solanki and Sanghani, the special court asked the ACB to conduct an inquiry in May 2013.
The report was submitted before the ACB court in 2015 which indicated irregularities in awarding of contracts for fisheries.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)