Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 18

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh seeking records, including file notings and internal correspondence, of the preliminary enquiry (PE) report in the corruption case, saying “should we entertain this because he has been a minister”.

A Bench led by Justice SK Kaul said he could argue on this point before the competent court and they have the liberty to do so.

“The petition under 32 is based on the premise that the orders passed by the court on the rationale that the PE may have been material against the petition. But as per certain newspaper reports, the petitioner is stated to have been given clean chit in the enquiry.

“The prayer is to call for all records to look into the PE. We are not inclined to exercise our jurisdiction under Article 32. In the given scenario it is always open to the petitioner to plead before the competent court,” it told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who represented Deshmukh.