Toolkit Row: SC Rejects Plea Against Ex Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, Patra

The SC bench said that it will not interfere and the high court should decide the matter expeditiously.

File photo of BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra and former Chief Minister Raman Singh.

(Photo: Facebook / Altered by The Quint)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 22 September, dismissed Chhattisgarh government's appeal against stay on probe against former Chief Minister Raman Singh and BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra for their tweets in connection with alleged Congress Toolkit controversy.

A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana said: "We are not inclined to interfere. Let the high court decide the matter expeditiously."

The bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli observed, "Appeal dismissed. Let not the observations come in the way of deciding the case on merits."

In June, the Chhattisgarh High Court had passed two separate orders granting interim relief to Singh and Patra.

The high court had noted that averments in the FIR reflected that no public peace or tranquillity is being adversely affected and it is purely political rivalry.

The high court had said: "Considering the facts of the case and perusal of FIR, prima facie no case is made out against the petitioner and criminal proceedings is manifestly attended against the petitioner with malafides or political grudge."

The state government, in its appeal, contended that the high court erroneously granted interim relief sought by Singh by staying the investigation arising out of the FIR.

The state government sought setting aside of the high court orders on the ground that the apex court has held that the extraordinary powers of the high court under Article 226 of the Constitution ought to be used sparingly and in rarest of rare cases.