In a favorable ruling for IPS officer Ajay Hilori (IPS:2008:KN), the High Court of Karnataka has quashed the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against him. The chargesheet alleged that Mr. Hilori did not take action against the promoters of I-Monetary Advisory (IMA), a company accused of defrauding thousands of depositors of approximately ₹4,000 crore.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna issued the order while considering a petition filed by Mr. Hilori, who challenged the chargesheet. The court noted that the charges brought against him in the CBI’s chargesheet were the same as those in the Departmental Inquiry. During the Departmental Inquiry, major allegations, including the accusation of demanding and accepting bribes from IMA promoters, could not be substantiated.
The court clarified that Mr. Hilori was found to be negligent only in sending a report on IMA to the City Police Commissioner without verifying the report submitted by his subordinate officer.
Moreover, the court observed that the State government had dropped the departmental proceedings against Mr. Hilori on June 14, 2023, without imposing any penalty. The only action taken was issuing him a warning, which is not considered a penalty under the All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
Since the evidence, witnesses, and documents presented in the chargesheet were the same as those in the departmental inquiry, the court concluded that the likelihood of the petitioner being convicted in the trial is extremely low.
As a result of quashing the chargesheet, the court directed that Mr. Hilori should receive all consequential benefits, including those related to his service conditions, service benefits, or any other incidental benefits that arise from the cancellation of the chargesheet against him.
