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Sanjivani case: HC allows state govt to raise legal objections in Shekhawat’s plea
Justice Kuldeep Mathur clarified that the earlier statement made by the counsel for the respondents that Shekhawat was not an accused in any of the FIRs shall not prejudice the rights of state govt
The Rajasthan high court on Friday disposed of the applications filed by the state government in the criminal miscellaneous petition of union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society case.
On the previous hearing, it was said on behalf of the state government that Shekhawat was not an accused in the investigation so far, but immediately after that, the state filed clarification applications saying that Shekhawat is, in fact, accused in the case.
Justice Kuldeep Mathur clarified that the earlier statement made by the counsel for the respondents that Shekhawat was not an accused in any of the FIRs shall not prejudice the rights of the state government to raise all just and legal objections with regard to maintainability of the present petition so also the merits of the case, taking on record the facts mentioned in the applications.
Also Read: Shekhawat named as accused: Rajasthan cops on Sanjivani society case
During the hearing on Friday, senior counsels Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Siddharth Luthra appeared through video conferencing and submitted that they did not get the assistance of the investigation officer (IO) who was physically present before the court on April 13.
Singhvi said that inadvertently, a submission was made that the petitioner is not an accused in any of the FIRs registered by the SOG.
However, the petitioner is an accused in the FIR registered at Special Police Station SOG, Jaipur, based on the investigation done so far by the investigating agency.
The state government immediately rushed back to the court to mention the matter before the court, but the court had already risen, and the matter could not be clarified.
The court ordered to dispose of the applications and listed the matter along with the connected matters on May 30, with the interim order continuing until the next date.
On April 13, the high court had given protection from arrest to Shekhawat.
In 2019, the SOG had registered an FIR against the multi-state credit cooperative society Sanjivani Credit Society for allegedly duping thousands of investors of ₹900 crore.
Shekhawat’s name cropped up when chief minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that Shekhawat and his family members were involved in the Sanjivani Credit Society case, and there is evidence of their transactions.
The criminal miscellaneous petition filed by Shekhawat has sought the CBI to investigate the alleged case under the banning of unregulated deposit schemes act 2019 instead of the Special Operational Group (SOG) and also protection from arrest.
