Mumbai, Feb 5 (PTI) A special CBI court here has rejected the discharge plea of former Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief executive officer Rakesh Kumar Singh in a 2014 corruption case, noting that there was sufficient evidence to frame charges against him.
Singh is accused of demanding Rs 70,000 through his accomplice Shripati Mishra for issuing Censor certificate for an early release of the Chhattisgarhi film "Mor Dauki Ke Bihaw".
Special judge for Central Bureau of Investigation cases S M Menjoge, in the order passed on Tuesday, held that demand of money by Rakesh Kumar is prima facie apparent from the material on record.
"He was collecting the amount through his agents. Demand and acceptance of the amount can be proved by circumstantial evidence also, as many times direct evidence is not available...," the court held.
Singh had sought discharge from the case, claiming that the CBFC CEO is not the sole authority issuing a Censor certificate. A screening committee comprising members chosen randomly issues the certificate, he contended.
A departmental enquiry also exonerated him, said Singh's lawyer.
The prosecution opposed the plea, saying it has already filed three charge-sheets against Singh and two other accused and there was prima-facie evidence to frame the charges. Once charges are framed, a trial can begin.
The investigation also revealed that the accused had accepted an iPad and a Lenovo laptop for clearing the Tamil film "Anjaan", but later they dumped the gadgets in the Arabian Sea to destroy incriminating evidence, the CBI claimed.
A CBFC official in his statement to the probe agency claimed it was Singh who started the system of taking bribe for early issuance of Censor certificate, the court order noted while rejecting his application. PTI AVI KRK