SC pulls up Karnataka HC for ordering CBI probe into Cogentrix

The SC, which had reserved the judgment for nearly a year, gave its verdict within four days of promoters announcing their withdrawal from the Rs 3,948 crore project on grounds of delays in Government clearances and legal wrangles.

8220;The HC has looked at different circumstances in the case with a jaundiced eye8230;We think, the HC has gone too far,8221; the bench said. It said on mere surmises and conjectures without any reasonable basis a criminal investigation could not be started and added, 8220;however condemnable the nature or extent of corruption in the country, not all acts could be said to fall in that category.8221;

The bench, however, kept it open for the parties to approach investigating authorities on finding new material regarding corruption. The HC had ordered a CBI probe on February 27, 1998 on a PIL filed by Arun Aggarwal.