Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Mar 15: The state high court (HC) on Monday March 14, dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by an advocate named Nataraj S Sharma, seeking directions to enforcement directorate to probe the matter relating to the chief minister (CM) accepting the said wrist watch costing nearly Rs 70 lac as gift from a non-resident Indian friend.

The HC bench comprising chief Justice, S K Mukherjee, and Justice Ravi Malimath, while dismissing the petition, said that enforcement directorate is free to probe the issue.

Advocate representing the petitioner, placing arguments before the bench, drew its attention to the costly gift accepted by the CM from a friend living abroad. He however said that it is not clear whether foreign exchange rules and regulations have been flouted in this case.

Chief Justice, S K Mukherjee, when dismissing the PIL, questioned as to what role the HC can play in this issue. He opined that the house can consider moving no confidence motion against the CM. The bench at the same time, observed that it is up to the state government to initiate action, adding that the complaints sent by the petitioners to different offices of enforcement directorate can be considered by them.

The petitioner had sent applications to New Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru offices of the enforcement directorate to investigate the costly gift received by the CM. None of these offices had responded to his request.