Delhi high court orders report on Kesri's foreign money violations

Acting on a public interest petition which seeks Congress president Sitaram Kesri's prosecution for violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, the Delhi high court has directed the Central government to file a status report.

The report, a division bench comprising Justices Mahinder Narain and S K Mahajan ordered Additional Solicitor General Abhishek Manu Shinghvi, should be filed on or before September 15.

The direction came after Dr Singhvi submitted that the investigation was on, and the government needed six weeks to update the court. The inquiries were being conducted by the Enforcement Directorate which has already approached the high commissions concerned.

The PIL was filed by a Patna-based journalist, Madhuresh Kumar, who alleged the Congress party received around Rs 37.5 million foreign contribution during Kesri's tenure as treasurer.

Congress counsel G L Sanghvi had argued the petition was not maintainable as Kumar had no locus standi in the matter, and had filed the petition solely on the basis of press reports.

Sanghi pointed out that a petition charging former prime minister H D Deve Gowda of misusing official machinery (by taking his family on a foreign tour) was dismissed on the ground that it was based on press reports alone.

He said the Supreme Court had clearly stated that a PIL cannot be based on only new reports.

Counsel for the petitioner Prasant Bhushan's contention was that the cheques received through three companies -- Decode, Doiba and Demonian trading corporations -- were deposited by Kesri, and he was very much in Delhi during the said period.

"We are not bothered about the personality involved," the court observed, "What we are concerned is that if there is the slightest irregularity anywhere, it should be investigated."

UNI