E. Sivakumar v. Union of India

Mr. Sivakumar appealed an April 26, 2018 Madras High Court judgment that ordered the transfer of a criminal investigation concerning the illegal manufacture and sale of gutkha and tobacco and/or nicotine pan masala from the State Vigilance Commission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).  The court found that the court below "justly transferred the investigation to CBI after due consideration of all the relevant aspects . . . ."  The court agreed that the facts and nature of the crime warranted CBI investigation and dismissed the appeal. 

E. Sivakumar v. Union of India, Diary No. 17180/2018, Supreme Court (2018).

  • India
  • May 18, 2018
  • Supreme Court
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Parties

Plaintiff E. Sivakumar

Defendant Union of India

Legislation Cited

Related Documents

Type of Litigation

Tobacco Control Topics

None

Substantive Issues

None

Type of Tobacco Product

"The view so taken by the High Court in the facts of the present case, in our opinion, being a possible view, the ground under consideration is devoid of merit. Suffice it to observe that it is not a case of disregarding the binding decision or precedent of the Coordinate Bench of the same High Court. We say so because, in the impugned judgment the decision of the Coordinate Bench has been distinguished. Besides, the question regarding the necessity to ensure a fair and impartial investigation of the crime, whose tentacles were not limited to the State of Tamil Nadu but transcended beyond to other States and may be overseas besides involving high ranking officials of the State as well as the Central Government, has now been directly answered. For instilling confidence in the minds of the victims as well as public at large, the High Court predicated that it was but necessary to entrust the investigation of such a crime to CBI. Viewed thus, there is no infirmity in the conclusion reached by the High Court in the impugned judgment, for having entrusted the investigation to CBI."