Supreme Court Quashes Charges Against Former Gujarat Minister in 2008 Fisheries Scam

The Supreme Court has dismissed criminal proceedings against Dileep Sanghani, former Gujarat minister, concerning a 2008 fisheries scam. The court found insufficient evidence under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case involved alleged illegal allocation of fishing contracts, which were initially upheld by the Gujarat High Court and an anti-corruption court.

The Supreme Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Dileep Sanghani, a former Gujarat minister, connected to an alleged Rs 400-crore fisheries scam dating back to 2008. The apex court bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran noted the absence of substantial evidence under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court acknowledged the argument presented by Sanghani's counsel, emphasizing that no material evidence was available from the investigation reports, testimonies or police statements that would support the charges. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi reiterated that there were no allegations of bribe demand or acceptance against Sanghani in the context of issuing fishing contract grants.

The Supreme Court's verdict overturns a Gujarat High Court ruling from 2021, which had supported decisions of a special anti-corruption court. Allegations initially emerged when contracts were supposedly awarded without tender, sparking legal actions initiated by businessman Ishaq Maradia, ultimately leading to this ruling.