ASHOK BHUSHAN,J. - (1.) All these appeals arise out of proceedings undertaken under Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 1944, by which certain properties were attached on an application filed on behalf of the State, which attachments were subsequently made absolute. Criminal appeals filed before the High Court by the appellants were dismissed leading to filing of these criminal appeals. Criminal Appeal No. 1561 of 2008 and Criminal Appeal No. 1521 of 2008 have been filed against the common judgment dated 21.06.2007 of Jharkhand High Court dismissing two criminal appeals filed by the appellants.
(2.) Criminal Appeal Nos. 1542-1543 of 2008 as well as Criminal Appeal Nos. 1558-1559 of 2008 have been filed against the common judgment dated 21.06.2007 of Jharkhand High Court by which two criminal appeals filed by appellants were dismissed. Facts of Criminal Appeal No. 1561 of 2008 and Criminal Appeal No. 1521 of 2008
(3.) This Court vide its order dated 19.03.1996 in State of Bihar and Anr. v. Ranchi Zila Samta Party and Anr., (1996) 3 SCC 682, entrusted a case of large-scale defalcation of public funds, fraudulent transactions and falsification of accounts, to the tune of around L 500 crores, which came to light in the Animal Husbandry Department of the State of Bihar. A similar situation prevailed in the Education, Cooperation and Fisheries Departments. It was agreed by all the counsel in above case that an in-depth investigation is required to be made. The only controversy between counsel on either side was whether the High Court, in exercise of its power under Article 226, could take the investigation away from the State police and entrust it to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).;