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Aug 02, 2022

SC Stays Criminal Proceedings Against Shooter Who Filed 'Bribe' Complaint Against Smriti Irani

International shooter Vartika Singh had alleged that the Union minister's aides had asked her for money in exchange of a position at the NCW.
Supreme Court. Photo: PTI.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed criminal proceedings in a case against international shooter Vartika Singh who had filed a complaint against Union minister Smriti Irani and two others, for allegedly asking for a bribe in exchange for appointing her as a member of the National Commission for Women, LiveLaw has reported.

A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and P.S. Narasimha has stayed the Allahabad high court’s removal of relief for Singh.

In December last year, Singh had moved a court accusing Irani and two others of demanding money in exchange for an NCW position.

PTI has earlier reported that on November 23, 2021, a person called Vijay Gupta – identified by Singh as an “aide” of Irani’s – had lodged a complaint against the shooter and another person at Musafirkhana police station in Amethi district, accusing them of levelling unfounded charges against him and trying to spoil his image.

Based on the complaint, police had lodged an FIR against Singh.

Singh then alleged that people close to the minister issued her a fake letter, appointing her as a member of the NCW.

She alleged that Vijay Gupta and Rajnish Singh, the two “aides” of the Union minister, initially demanded Rs 1 crore from her and then brought the amount down to Rs 25 lakh.

She also alleged that one of the men talked to her in an obscene manner.

A Special MP/MLA court had last year dismissed her complaint against Irani. The Allahabad high court also dismissed a revision plea by Singh seeking registration of the FIR against Irani, Outlook has reported.

LiveLaw has reported that while considering Singh’s plea to quash the chargesheet filed in the case, the Allahabad high court had on April 29, 2022, stayed the proceedings. However, on May 11, it vacated the stay.

In the high court, Singh had said that the latest FIR was a recap of earlier FIRs filed over similar allegations having to do with forgery to malign the Union minister’s reputation. Singh had also noted that no notice was issued to her, nor was she informed as to why there was a plea to vacate the stay order.

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