CBI probe against Hazare: SC seeks Centre's response

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a PIL seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged siphoning off of funds given to an NGO Hind Swaraj Trust run by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and issued notices to the Centre and Maharashtra government.

A bench of Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Desai sought the governments' response on a petition filed by lawyer Manohar Lal Sharma, accusing Hazare of siphoning off of funds granted by the government to his trust in 1995.

"It is a clear case of fraud, criminal breach of trust upon the state treasury played by respondent number four (Hazare), coupled with his associates/groups, politician friends for which despite having the Sawant Commission report of 2005, which disclosed the true admitted facts, state/central governments took no action till date," the petition said.

The petition said the Trust had got crores of rupees illegally from Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology.

"Report further disclosed that in 1995 Anna had secured another Rs 75 lakh from the CAPART. Petitioner further states that in 2001 CAPART had released Rs five crore to him in the name of rural health. True total amount what has been exploited from the consolidated fund of India will be discovered only if a proper probe in conducted," the petition said.