Court raps CBI probe into illegal buildings

A special court has slammed the central investigating agency for filing chargesheets as a ''ritual'' and making ''scapegoats'' out of junior officials to shield the big fish in a case about rampant illegal constructions in Delhi.

A special court has slammed the central investigating agency for filing chargesheets as a ''ritual'' and making ''scapegoats'' out of junior officials to shield the big fish in a case about rampant illegal constructions in Delhi.

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The case pertains to a direction by the Delhi high court on April 20, 2006 to the CBI to crack down on the nexus between MCD officials and builders, blaming it for rampant unauthorised constructions.

The special court, in which the trial is still on seven years after the HC direction, ripped apart the investigating agency for conducting an ''illusory probe'' into the matter. As a result of this many corrupt officials are going scot-free, the court said.

The court, while acquitting a junior engineer AK Shrotiya accused of protecting an illegal property in West Delhi in 2003, observed that the CBI was carrying out an ''improper and biased probe''. It said the agency which filed chargesheets as a "ritual" made junior engineers "scapegoat" while giving clean chit to a large number of senior officials.

"CBI is expected to thoroughly investigate the case instead of merely filing chargesheet as a ritual..the investigation lacks the requisite professionalism and the lapses shake the faith and confidence in the investigating agency," Special CBI judge Anoop Mendiratta said.

"The said observations should serve as an eye opener to MCD and the CBI and recurrence of such wrongs is to be taken with stern hands," said the judge.