Madras HC orders CBI inquiry against alleged industrialist – The Indian Express

Justice R N Manjula passed the order while disposing of a writ petition from Venkata Siva Naga Kumar Kantheti recently.

The petition prayed for a direction to the police, including the DGP, to not harass the petitioner in the guise of inquiry and the Greater Chennai police commissioner to register an FIR on the complaint lodged in May, 2019 against Rajesh, the alleged industrialist.

In September this year, the High Court ordered the handing over of the investigation into a case against Thirumangalam range assistant commissioner of police (ACP) A Shivakumar and his subordinate to the CBI. The police personnel were suspended from service.

The charge against them was that while serving as the ACP and the Inspector attached to Thirumangalam police station had abused their power and abducted complainant Rajesh in a money dispute case and his wife and kept them in illegal custody and forced them to execute a sale deed for transfer of immovable properties worth about Rs. 5.5 crore.

Kantheti contended that the police were harassing him under the pretext of inquiry. In fact, he was cheated several crores of rupees by Rajesh and his accomplice over the years, he alleged. In May 2019, he lodged a complaint with the local police. The police personnel closed the complaint and started to harass and abuse him, the petitioner contended.

“Since the Additional Public Prosecutor has also accepted that the connected matter had already been taken up by CBI, I feel it is appropriate to direct the CBI to re-open the complaint of this petitioner and conduct an independent enquiry and do what is required in accordance with law,” Justice Manjula said.