Bengaluru: In view of the report submitted in relation to a major seizure of voter IDs and BBMP seals from a flat at Jalahalli in RR Nagar Assembly Constituency — represented by MLA N Munirathna — during 2018 assembly elections, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday disposed of a PIL, seeking directions to transfer the investigation from Karnataka Police to the CBI.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum disposed of the petition after hearing the counsel and going through the report submitted by Additional Commissioner of Police (East), who was appointed to look into the lacunaes pointed out by the petitioners. The petitioners N Anand Kumar and G Santhosh Kumar have sought directions to transfer the probe from city police to CBI, alleging that Munirathna, being a member of the ruling party, is in position to clout and influence the state police machinery.

They pointed out an inordinate delay in probe. According to the bench, the report states that the petitioners appeared before the investigating officer (IO) on multiple dates. “The IO should bear in mind the allegations made by the petitioners and the latter should cooperate with the investigation. The CBI has shown unwillingness to take up the investigation. Therefore, we are not passing drastic orders to transfer the investigation to other agencies,” it added.