SP leader Amar Singh gets relief in fraud and money laundering case

Kanpur: In a relief to former SP leader Amar Singh, a local court has accepted the final report in a 2009 fraud and money laundering case submitted by the prosecution which found no proof in the allegations against him.

An Additional District Judge, which yesterday accepted the final report, also took note of the affidavit filed by the complainant stating that he was not pressing his protest petition.

Amar Singh. Reuters

Citing ill-health, the complainant Shiva Kant Tripathi, who registered the case on October 15, 2009, said he is not going to pursue the case. However, if anyone else wishes to fight the case, they can, he added.

Shiva Kant Tripathi, resident of Chakeri town in the district here, had alleged in his court complaint that Amar Singh in his capacity of Uttar Pradesh State Development Board chairman had illegally benefited crores of rupees to his own private firms.

Along with former SP leader, Tripathi had also accused Bollywood mega star Amitabh Bachchan, Singh's wife Pankaja and industrialist Ashok Chaturvedi of complicity as directors of various companies in the case.

Babupurwa's Circle Officer Pavitra Mohan Tripathi, who had investigated the case, earlier said, "No proof was found against the defendants during the probe...And, the police had put the final report in the court."

The Enforcement Directorate(ED), which also probed the case, had on September 11, 2012, also said there was no substance in the allegations.

The probe was then handed over to Economic Offences Wing which said no evidence could be found against the accused.

Pavitra Mohan Tripathi said today that a final report was submitted on 31 October, 2012 after finding no witnesses in the case.

But, Shiva Kant Tripathi filed a protest petition on 5 November, 2012 pleading that the case be not closed without hearing his arguments.

On 20 May last, he had filed an affidavit in a court stating he did not wish to say anything more on the matter before taking the final decision of not pursuing the high-profile case anymore. He had communicated the final decision in an affidavit.

PTI