Supreme Court seeks I-T, SFIO reports on Mohammad Iqbal

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told the Supreme Court on Monday that it had found evidence linking former MLC Mohammad Iqbal of BSP to the National Rural Health Mission scam in UP.
The ED affidavit submitted in court on Monday said, “During the course of investigation into the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam, the ED had found certain evidence linking Iqbal to the scam. The investigation with regard to PMLA as well as FEMA is in progress.The report of investigation carried out so far shall be submitted in sealed cover before the SC.” A bench of CJI T S Thakur and Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi asked the central agencies — SFIO and the I-T department — probing the charges against Iqbal to file fresh status reports by April 25.
Countering the accusations of black money and laundering, Iqbal had then alleged that his term in the legislative council was ending and as polls were drawing near, the charges were a bid by a political rival to defame him.
Iqbal also alleged that complainant Ranvir Singh had been caught and fined several times to the tune of Rs 3 crore for illegal sand mining. Calling the case a “turf war”, the court had asked the Union finance secretary to examine the charges and counter-charges and decide the course of investigation.
The CJI-headed bench said, “Both sides appear to have some dubious practice. One has 111 companies and the other indulges in illegal mining. Both should be thoroughly investigated and taken to task if found involved in illegal activities.” It asked UP’s additional advocate general Gaurav Bhatia to inform the court about the number of cases registered against Singh for illegal mining.