A Special Court for prevention of Corruption Act in Bharatpur turned down application of additional director general of police Anand Srivastava seeking permission to record his statement in a 17-year old case.
Anand Srivastava has appeared before the court without any intimation or being called. The court refused to entertain his request stating that the court has exhausted all his opportunities to record statement on January 12, 2024 as the case is more than 10 years old.
Anand Srivastava, a 1994-batch IPS officer is currently serving as additional director general of police, law and order.
What is the case:
Anand Srivastava, additional director general of Police, had approached the court with any notice or date for recording his statement in a graft case in which a constable Dharam Singh was trapped. Anand Srivastava was posted as superintendent of police in 2006. He had given prosecution sanction in this case. In such cases where prosecution sanction is granted, the officer has to record his statement in the court.
The constable Dharam Singh has been accused of seeking bribe while threatening to lodge a person in jail. The person complained with Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), which booked Dharam Singh. Anand Srivastava, who was then superintendent of police in Bharatpur, had given prosecution sanction on June 10, 2007.
According to advocate Sudesh Sharma the court had sent 29 notices to Anand Srivastava during the years 2019-2024. But Srivastava never turned up to record statement. In 2021, the court had issued bailable warrant for Anand Srivastava. Even then he didn't come for witness.
“Since the case is 10 years old and Srivastava had been given unlimited chances to appear before the court, the court exhausted all his opportunities to appear before it on January 12, 2024,” Sharma said.
He said that Srivastava came to appear before court on Thursday afternoon without being sent any notice. His application was turned down by the court.
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