In a big blow to the Congress, Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a probe into the Sahara-Birla diaries, which Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has used to allege that Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted kickbacks from corporate houses during his time as Gujarat Chief Minister.
Here’s are the highlights:
- There will be no probe by a Special Investigation Team into the politically sensitive Sahara diaries case – which involves alleged bribes paid to politicians.
- The top court has said there is not enough evidence in the case.
“If the investigation is ordered on the basis of inadmissible evidence like this, constitutional functionaries can’t function and democracy will not be safe,” SC said.
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- Another hearing took place today after a fresh affidavit was filed by lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan, who sought a court-monitored investigation into the case.
- Bhushan argued that though the Sahara-Birla documents do not prove that the politicians named in them received kickbacks, a First Information Report should be filed against the people named and the subsequent investigation would bring out the truth.
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- Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the court that there is no evidence to prove that Modi was paid by corporate houses. No one in country would be safe if such documents are accepted as legal evidence.
- The decision to prosecute Sahara, made in August last year, had been overturned in November.