Raids on Congress leader Kripashankar Singh's premises in Mumbai

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Police today conducted raids at the premises of former city Congress chief Kripashankar Singh, who has been accused of amassing disproportionate assets.

"The house and office of Kripashankar Singh in suburban Mumbai were raided. We are looking for some documents that will help us in the probe," said a police officer.

The former Mumbai Congress chief, who is facing graft charges, had yesterday moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court verdict for his prosecution and attachment of immovable properties, two days after an FIR was registered by the city police against him in the DA case.

On February 22, the High Court, after holding that prima facie case of criminal misconduct is made out against the leader, ordered his prosecution.

"The Commissioner of Police Arup Patnaik shall obtain sanction from the government to prosecute Kripashankar Singh for criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The role of other respondents (Kripashankar's family) shall also be investigated into," a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Roshan Dalvi had said.

The bench had said Patnaik shall collect documentary evidence regarding all movable and immovable properties of Kripashankar and his family, including his wife, son and daughter-in-law, who will also be prosecuted for aiding in the alleged crime.

The court had said, "he started from scratch in 1970s. Until 1998 when he became MLA, nothing is shown to have been acquired by him."

"He is shown to have earned as MLA a salary of Rs 45,000 per month and in that salary has amassed more than dozen immovable properties. His assets are shown to be 11.69 per cent disproportionate to his known source of income. Such calculation would beat not just out arithmetic but also our conscience."

The HC passed the direction while hearing a PIL filed by activist Sanjay Tiwari, who alleged the Congress MLA had amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The court, while keeping the PIL pending, has directed the Commissioner of Police to file a compliance report on April 19.