HC rap for police in Torres case

Court grants police protection to CA who claims to have alerted authorities about the alleged fraud

- Prateem Rohanekar

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Wednesday pulled up the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police for being unable to trace the Ukrainian nationals who are among the prime accused in the Torres Jewellery scam despite taking charge of the case more than a week ago.

"We expected the EOW to act promptly and trace the whereabouts of the absconding Ukrainian nationals. This is your prerogative. Where you don't do your part, we come in. We expect promptness. This is a specialised agency," the bench of justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Neela Gokhale said while hearing a petition filed by chartered account Abhishek Gupta.

Gupta was an external auditor for Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd, Torres' parent company, and claims to be a whistleblower in the case. Responding to his petition, the court directed the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai to grant him protection till his application for the same was processed.