In a significant development in the high-profile Parakamani theft case, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued crucial directives concerning the investigation reports. The court has mandated that the top officials of two premier investigation agencies submit the findings directly to the bench in a sealed cover.
Court Directs Submission of Sealed Reports
The division bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, on Friday, ordered the Director Generals of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to each submit two copies of their investigation reports in the Parakamani case. These reports, which were completed and filed earlier, are to be placed before the bench for its review. The judicial registrar has been instructed to facilitate this process, ensuring the documents remain confidential within a sealed cover.
Justice Gannamaneni Ramakrishna Prasad, presiding over the matter, made it clear that the accused individuals in the case would not be granted access to these reports at the present stage. The court emphasized that the documents were sought specifically for the court's perusal. Justice Prasad stated that the accused have no right to demand the reports as they are preliminary findings and not the final conclusions of the investigating agencies.
Background of the Parakamani Investigation
The court's current orders stem from earlier directives issued by Justice Prasad himself. He had initially tasked the CID and ACB with probing two critical aspects: the alleged irregularities in the Parakamani theft case and the disproportionate assets held by the prime accused, C V Ravi Kumar, against his known sources of income. Both agencies have since concluded their separate inquiries and submitted their findings to the court in a sealed manner.
This legal proceeding combines a suo moto petition taken up by the court and an appeal filed by the accused. The appeal challenges a previous order passed by a single judge of the high court. The matter has now been scheduled for its next hearing on December 9, where further arguments and considerations will take place.
Lok Adalat Award Referred to Larger Bench
In a related and important legal move, Justice Prasad has also referred a specific contentious issue to a larger bench. This pertains to determining the legality of the Lok Adalat award that settled the Parakamani theft case. The judge noted that a single judge bench does not possess the authority to set aside such an award, necessitating the review by a larger bench.
This entire chain of judicial action was initiated after the court considered a petition filed by M Srinivasulu from Tirupati. The petitioner had raised serious concerns regarding the manner in which the Parakamani theft case was settled before the Lok Adalat, prompting the court's deeper intervention and the subsequent investigations.
The court's decision to keep the probe reports under wraps and its referral of the Lok Adalat matter highlight the complexity and sensitivity of the case. All eyes will now be on the proceedings scheduled for December 9, as the High Court continues to scrutinize the layers of this alleged corruption and theft scandal.
