EOW seeks transfer of Amar case from ED

The Economic Offences Wing of the UP Police has filed an application before the Allahabad High Court, requesting transfer of the investigation into a case of fraud against Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, his wife Pankaja Kumari, actor Amitabh Bachchan and others from the Enforcement Directorate.

The EOW Director General, Suvrat Tripathi, said the EOW was earlier investigating the case, but the court had transferred it to the ED in May last year. He said: "We have prayed before the court to transfer the investigation to EOW, as ED does not have the power to investigate charges under IPC sections and they can only probe money laundering offences."

Government Counsel Akhilesh Singh said the court had asked ED and EOW to submit their status reports and fixed September 21 to hear the matter. The case, alleging financial fraud amounting to Rs 500 crore, was lodged against Amar Singh and others at Babupurwa police station of Kanpur on a complaint of Shivakant Tripathi on October 15, 2009. Tripathi had alleged that Amar Singh misused his position as chairman of the UP Development Council during the previous SP regime. The fraud took place between 2003 and 2008, he alleged.

Tripathi gave the details of certain companies in the complaint, saying these were used in the fraud. The companies include Energy Development Company Limited (EDCL), Sarvottam Cap Limited, Pankaja Art and Credit Limited, Eastern India Company and EDCL Infrastructure Limited, all either owned or run by Singh and his wife, alleged Tripathi.

The complainant also alleged that the money was channelised through small utilities which were amalgamated in these companies. In one instance, 25 smaller companies were amalgamated in Sarvottam Cap Limited. The FIR was lodged under various sections of IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

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