Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Former Chhattisgarh Principal Secretary Aman Singh's Plea To Transfer Disproportionate Assets Cases To CBI

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain the plea filed by former Chhattisgarh Principal Secretary Aman Singh and his wife Yasmin Singh seeking the transfer of all disproportionate assets cases against them to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha heard the matter.

Senior Advocate Aryama Sundaram, appearing for Singh argued that the investigation should be handed over to CBI as there was clear evidence that the officials of the State of Chattisgarh were conspiring against him and others like him. He stated that there existed a "hit list" of people who were targeted and the local police had been compromised. He said–

"ED itself has filed before your lordships saying that they have recovered chats about how to fix political opponents and what is to be done."

He further stated that Singh's wife, who was a Kathak dancer, had also been targeted. He said – 

"They have been harassed to such an extent that the wife who is a Kathak dancer, nobody is like to dance with her anymore. They all being questioned about her."

He even alleged that present Chief Minister of Chattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel, who belongs to the Indian National Congress was also involved. He said–

"The present Chief Minister, even before he became the Chief Minister, said how he will fix me when he becomes the Chief Minister. I am being harassed. Today my employers are being called every day. Anybody I have any kind of business contact with is being harassed. My wife is being harassed."

Per contra, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the State, argued that the case was merely pertaining to a disproportionate assets matter. He said–

"What is happening is shocking. This case is like seeing review of that earlier order. This very man and this is a disproportionate case, see what happened. Supreme Court considered all these arguments and rejected the case. This person was an Income tax officer earlier, then was with the CM. This is an abuse of the process and costs should be imposed now." 

The order that Sibal was referring to was by a bench comprising Justice Ravindra Bhat and Justice Dipankar Datta which had set aside Chhattisgarh High Court's order quashing a disproportionate assets case registered in 2020 against Singh and his wife Yasmin, who was a consultant when the Raman Singh government was in power. 

Post submissions by Senior Advocate Sibal, Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, also appearing for the petitioners, argued that even Singh's mother-in-law's pension account was sealed by the government and they were facing extreme harassment by the authorities.

Justice Narasimha orally remarked–

"What we are seeing day in and day out is that politics is brought to this Court in form of some case or another. It is not that we cannot understand or we cannot see. But here in this case you have your remedy. There is an order passed by this court."

Upon court's insistence to dismiss the matter, the petitioners withdrew the petition. 

Case Title: Aman Kumar Singh And Anr. v. State of Chhattisgarh And Ors. WP(Crl) No. 155/2023

Click Here To Read/Download Order