Ekal Patta case: SC reviews probe against Dhariwal, government officials – Times of India

JAIPUR: A division bench of the Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the decision of the Rajasthan High Court to dismiss the criminal proceedings against the former UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal and senior UDH and Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) officials in the “Ekal Patta” case, which concerns alleged corruption and procedural violations in the issuance of a lease deed for valuable land in Jaipur.
The bench, comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujwal Bhuyan, directed the Supreme Court to reconsider the case from all angles. The order came a day after the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government, which had changed its stand, sought quashing of the Supreme Court’s earlier verdict in the case.
Additional Solicitor General (AAG) Shiv Mangal Shar-ma, representing the state government, told TOI: “Former JDA officials granted approval for land lease to one M/s Ganpati Constructions, which was earlier rejected by the UDH department. It was alleged that the rules had been overlooked and the land deed was issued and rejected a few times.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court examined whether the Rajasthan High Court’s quashing of proceedings and permission to withdraw prosecution were justified. Sharma argued during the proceedings that the High Court orders should not be upheld and the case required trial on merits as key facts and allegations remained unresolved.
“We have moved the Supreme Court for a comprehensive probe into the matter as the Rajasthan High Court, while granting relief to Dhariwal and others, including then UDH chief secretary GS Sandhu, lacked a comprehensive overview of the facts,” said Sharma. added.
After hearing the arguments, the Supreme Court, overruling the previous two judgments of the Supreme Court, ordered a fresh and unbiased review of the entire case, including all evidence and procedural details. The Supreme Court has also asked the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court to ensure careful handling of the re-evaluation, thereby strengthening the judicial position on the matter. transparency and accountability. “The Supreme Court has been directed to complete its re-examination within six months,” Sharma said.