New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to initiate an investigation into allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi received payments from the Sahara and the Aditya Birla groups.

The allegations were made on the basis of data purportedly seized during searches by the income tax department of the offices from the two companies in 2013. Modi was then chief minister of Gujarat.

A bench headed by justice J.S Khehar held that the court was not satisfied with the material based on which an investigation was being sought and asked for additional material- something that could be supportive to the allegations, to be placed on record.

“This is only an insinuation, you cannot ask for initiating proceedings just because it is a big name in question. If the basis is just a computer entry like in this case, anybody can be roped in. Submit some other documents, something for us to consider conducting an investigation." said justice Khehar.

He added that the court was not shying away from taking any action but would require supportive material based on which it could do so.

Activist group Common Cause had moved the apex court seeking a probe by a court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the allegations.

The court has given Common Cause till 14 December to either place on record additional material for consideration or take back the case if there was nothing more it wishes to submit in support of the allegations.

Sahara has filed a defamation case in a Patna court against Mint’s editor and some reporters over the newspaper’s coverage of the company’s dispute with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Mint is contesting the case.

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