AMAN KUMAR SINGH Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard.

(2.) The instant bail applications have been filed by the applicants for grant of anticipatory bail, who are apprehending their arrest in connection with Crime No. 9 of 2020 registered at Police Station - Economic Offences Wing/Anti Corruption Bureau, Raipur, District Raipur, for commission of offence punishable under Ss. 13(1)(b) and (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Sec. 120B of Indian Penal Code.

(3.) As per the prosecution story, complainant - Uchit Sharma lodged a complaint on 11/10/2019 in the Office of the Chief Minister of the State alleging that applicant - Aman Kumar Singh (in MCRCA No.328 of 2023), An Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Officer and the Former Principal Secretary to the erstwhile Chief Minister of the Chhattisgarh, his wife applicant - Yasmin Singh (in MCRCA No.329 of 2023), Former Consultant to the Government of Chhattisgarh, who had worked on contract basis as the Director, Communication and Capacity Development Unit (CCDU), Department of Public Health Engineering, Government of Chhattisgarh from 14/11/2005 to 31/3/2015 and thereafter, as the Director of ICE and Capacity Building, Department of Panchayat and Rural Development, Government of Chhattisgarh from 1/4/2015 to 10/12/2018 and his family were involved in corruption and money laundering. It is also alleged that the assets held by applicant - Aman Kumar Singh and Yasmin Singh are disproportionate to their known sources of income. After receiving such complaint, the Chief Minister directed the Chief Secretary of the State to have the complaint enquired into by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). Vide letter dtd. 21/10/2019, the complaint was forwarded by General Administration Department of the State (for short 'GAD') to the Economic Offences Wing/Anti Corruption Bureau (for short 'EOW/ACB') to conduct an enquiry, consequently, a preliminary enquiry bearing No. P.E. 35/2019 was registered.