Intranet Scam: Enforcement Directorate probe progress sought

Chandigarh, Nov 8 (UNI) The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Union government to submit status report on the probe conducted by the Enforcement Directorate in regard to the allegations of violation of foreign exchange laws and the rules by Punjab Intranet, a company floated among others by Ran Inder Singh, the son of Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

The ED's probe report was sought by the court's division bench comprising Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice S D Anand.

The additional solicitor general of India Mohan Parasaran, who argued on behalf of the Centre, was also asked to place on record the provision of law or the notification vide which the enforcement directorate was empowered to record and rely on the evidence or statement of an outside agency or individual under 156 of the criminal procedure code.

The direction came at the end of resumed hearing on the contention of former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and others that the Punjab government had no competence to set up a commission of inquiry to go into a matter which was not within its jurisdiction as matters of foreign exchange violations like transfer of money through illegal channels lay within the jurisdiction of the union government only.

The ED is reported to have recorded the version of Dutch national Freike who, according to the allegations, was instrumental in money transaction on behalf of Ran Inder Singh for Intranet.

Defending the state decision to set up the Nehra commission which inquired into the allegations and exonerated the respondents, Punjab Advocate General Rajinder Singh Cheema submitted that the matter had been brought before the court on the basis of media reports and was concerned with the public order and criminal law.

The petitioners had also referred to alleged lack of transparency in administrative functioning of the state, which was ground enough for the inquiry commission that was set up under the act.

Mr Cheema also termed the plea as not sustainable because the issue of jurisdiction was not in the main petition which had been disposed of by the high court as premature being a matter then pending before the state legislature. The matter would now come up for further hearing on December 13.

UNI XC PS VA DB2127