CBI probe into gutkha scam: SC reserves order

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud was hearing a petition filed by accused E Sivakumar, challenging the April 26 order of the high court.

The plea said the high court passed the order when the investigation relating to the allegations of violation of the ban on gutkha and other tobacco products by the Directorate of Vigilance and AntiCorruption Commission (DVAC) had commenced and was at an “advanced stage”. The high court had ordered the CBI probe following a petition filed by DMK legislator J Anbazhagan.

The case relates to an I-T raid in the offices, residences and godowns of a gutkha manufacturer in Tamil Nadu in 2016. A diary seized then allegedly listed bribe payments made to various officials.

The Tamil Nadu government had banned the manufacture and storage of gutkha, a tobacco product.

However, it is reported that is still available in the market. The petition has contended that the probe transfer order was given without hearing any of the accused persons and without looking into the status of the investigation.

Coimbatore: A court in Coimbatore on Monday directed DMK MLA N Karthik to sign at a local police station daily until further orders in connection with a case related to alleged obstruction caused during a raid on an illegal gutkha unit.

Sulur Magistrate C Vediyappan gave the direction to Karthik and also his party colleague Thangaraj when the two appeared before him following grant of anticipatory bail by the additional district sessions court. He ordered them to sign at the police station once in the morning daily until further orders.

Judge M Gunasekaran had granted anticipatory bail to Karthik and Thangaraj on May 10.