New Delhi, 1 December (H.S.): The Supreme Court on Monday declined to grant full relief to former Rajasthan minister Shanti Dhariwal, keeping in place the existing bar on his arrest in the alleged single-patta scam while directing that the investigation must continue. A bench headed by Justice J.K. Maheshwari clarified that no coercive action shall be taken against Dhariwal until the trial court in Jaipur decides on the pending closure report and the protest petitions filed against it.

The apex court noted that the Rajasthan High Court has already ordered that the trial court will adjudicate the closure report and the accompanying objections. The trial court has been permitted to examine both the earlier and the fresh closure reports and the state government has been allowed to file any additional investigation report, if necessary. It will also hear and decide any application seeking withdrawal of the closure report.

The case stems from a 2011 decision of the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) to issue a single patta for a 10-bigha plot. Complainant Ramsharan Singh lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), following which the patta was cancelled in 2013 after the controversy escalated.

Subsequent ACB investigation led to the arrest of then Additional Chief Secretary G.S. Sandhu, Deputy Secretary Nishkam Diwakar, Zone Commissioner Onkar Mal Saini, and construction company owner Shailendra Garg, while Dhariwal was also questioned in connection with the matter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar