NIA finds no evidence in threat calls to Nitin Gadkari, Mumbai court intervenes

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) took over the investigation of extortion calls made to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, which included threats of violence. The calls were made by Jayesh Pujari, who was already serving a life sentence for murder. The NIA found no evidence to support the case after a year of investigation and sought to close it. However, the special court in Mumbai returned the closure report due to jurisdictional issues, stating that the case should have been filed in Nagpur where the initial charges were laid. The calls in question occurred on January 14 and March 21, 2023, with demands of Rs100 crore and Rs10 crore, respectively. The Nagpur police had initially investigated the case and concluded that Pujari was responsible for the threats. They invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) due to the nature of the threats. The NIA's involvement began on July 13, 2023, after the case was transferred to them. Despite the NIA's efforts, including a chargesheet against Pujari and his associate Afsar Pasha, the court emphasized that there cannot be simultaneous proceedings in different courts for the same case. The special judge, AK Lahoti, highlighted the need for a single jurisdiction to handle the case effectively. The court's decision to return the closure report to the NIA underscores the complexities of jurisdiction in legal proceedings. The NIA is now required to file the closure report in the appropriate court in Nagpur, where the case originated, to ensure proper legal protocol is followed.