Kripashankar’s family gets relief in ₹95-crore graft case

The special court discharged Singh’s wife Maltidevi, son Narendramohan, daughter Sunita and son-in-law Vijaykumar Singh.

Four months after the discharge of Congress leader Kripashankar Singh from a disproportionate assets case, the special court for Prevention of Corruption Act, on Tuesday, discharged four of his family members.

The court had discharged Kripashankar on February 14 as the prosecution had failed to produce sanction to prosecute him from the appropriate authority. (HT Photo/Representational Image)

The special court discharged Singh’s wife Maltidevi, son Narendramohan, daughter Sunita and son-in-law Vijaykumar Singh.

They had applied for discharge two weeks after Singh’s discharge.

The court had discharged Kripashankar on February 14 as the prosecution had failed to produce sanction to prosecute him from the appropriate authority.

Soon after, on April 3, advocate KH Giri moved a discharge plea for the family contending that since the main accused was discharged, the family members cannot be prosecuted.

“The prosecution had not booked the family members under any independent charge other than the allegations that the properties acquired by them were actually purchased from purportedly disproportionate funds accumulated by Kripashankar Singh,” said Giri.

However, since Kripashankar has been discharged there is no case left against them, he added.

The Congress leader and four of his family members were charge-sheeted on April 4, 2015 for possessing 19.95% more assets than their known sources of income.

The agency had booked his family members mainly for aiding and abetting him.

According to the charge sheet filed by the agency, Kripashankar’s wife was holding property worth ₹52.57 lakh in her name at the instance of Kripashankar.

Similarly, Narendramohan was found holding properties worth ₹16.32 crore, Sunita was owner of properties worth ₹1.25 crore; while Vijaykumar was found holding properties worth ₹15.14 lakh.

A case was filed against him and his family after the Bombay HC directed the police to investigate allegations of criminal misconduct and disproportionate assets.

A city resident in his public interest litigation (PIL) before the Bombay HC said that Kripashankar and his relatives had assets worth ₹320 crore disproportionate to their income.