SIT Probe Into Bribery Allegations: Review Petition Filed Against Dismissal Of Earlier Plea

The Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms has filed a review petition against the dismissal of its petition seeking a probe by a special investigation team into allegations that bribes were sought to influence the outcome of a medical college admissions case being heard in the apex court.

The allegations on which inquiry was sought were part of a first information report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigations. The FIR named a retired Odisha High Court judge and a few middlemen for conspiring to influence the cases related to medical college admissions. The investigation indicated allegations against a Supreme Court judge as well.

The petition filed by CJAR was heard by a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice RK Agarwal, Justice Arun Mishra and Justice AM Khanwilkar. The bench dismissed the petition and, in a rare turn of events, imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on the petitioners.

The same bench had also rejected a similar plea filed by lawyer Kamini Jaiswal.

Both CJAR and Jaiswal had argued that this is a sensitive case, and so, the investigation must not be left in the hands of the CBI, and there was a need for an independent SIT probe.

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