Gutkha scam: SC quashes plea against CBI inquiry

The Supreme Court on Friday reportedly refused to stay the CBI inquiry into the Gutkha scam in which Tamil Nadu health minister C Vijayabaskar and senior police officials including DGP TK Rajendran were allegedly involved. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India CJI Dipak Misra, upheld the Madras High Court’s order.

A state health department official named Sivakumar had filed the petition in the top court to order a stay on the CBI inquiry into the matter. Earlier, based on a plea, filed by DMK legislator J Anbazhagan, the Madras High Court ordered a CBI inquiry into the matter. The petitioner alleged that the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), which accommodates state officials, cannot conduct a fair probe into the matter.