SC freezes Tamil Nadu anti-corruption probe against ED official arrested in bribery case

New Delhi: In an interim direction, the Supreme Court on Thursday temporarily froze the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) probe against Enforcement Directorate (ED) official Ankit Tiwari.

Tiwari – an officer of the central agency – was arrested by DVAC on charges of demanding and accepting bribes from a state government employee.

The DVAC officials seized Rs 20 lakh cash from Tiwari’s car, which he had allegedly received as a bribe from an accused in a Disproportionate Assets case.

Hearing a plea filed by the central anti-money laundering agency seeking transfer of probe in the matter to the CBI, a Bench presided over by Justice Surya Kant issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu Government returnable within a period of two weeks.

The Bench, also comprising Justice KV Vishwanathan, asked the state government to furnish the apex court with all the materials collected by the DVAC against the ED official so far.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the central agency, said that DVAC conducted searches at the ED's Madurai office and seized several unconnected files.

At this, the apex court said that it will have to resolve the larger question of evolving best practices for investigation in federal structure.

The matter will be heard after a period of two weeks.

Tiwari’s arrest – the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu – has intensified the face-off between the state government and the ED.

Recently, the Madras High Court stayed for three weeks the ED summons issued to five District Collectors in connection with a probe into alleged money laundering linked to illegal sand mining.