The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed a Kerala High Court order that directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR and initiate a probe against K.M. Abraham, the Chief Principal Secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a disproportionate assets case
Court Observation
A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan issued notices to the CBI, the Kerala government, and the complainant, activist Jomon Puthenpurackal, seeking their responses to Abraham’s appeal challenging the High Court’s directive.
Abraham, a retired IAS officer, contended that under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, prior sanction is mandatory before registering an FIR against a public servant. He argued that the Kerala High Court’s April 11 order bypassed this requirement
Cbi Investigation
The High Court had ordered the CBI investigation after observing that Abraham appeared to possess assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, including properties in Mumbai and Kerala worth several crores. It also noted that the state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau’s inquiry lacked credibility and failed to inspire public confidence.
The Supreme Court’s stay provides temporary relief to Abraham, halting the CBI’s proceedings until further notice. The case is expected to be reviewed in the coming weeks.
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