Rahul Gandhi has used to allege

called the documents produced by Bhushan as "fictitious" and "not authentic"

Setback for Rahul Gandhi as SC rejects probe into Sahara diaries

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today rejected a plea for a SIT probe into the Sahara-Birla diaries, which Congress Vice-Presidentthat Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted kickbacks from corporate houses during his time as Gujarat Chief Minister.The apex court said the documents placed by lawyer Prashant Bhushan in the case aren't credible enough to direct a probe against the Prime Minister and others.The court said Bhushan's plea is devoid of merit, and explained that the process of law can be misused for 'ulterior goals' if such documents are treated as legal evidence, and if a probe is ordered.The hearing was conducted by a new bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy. It was consitituted after Bhushan last month sought the recusal of the then Chief Justice of India-designate, Justice J S Khehar, on the grounds that his file for elevation for CJI was pending with the executive headed by the Prime Minister."In view of the materials placed on record and peculiarity of the facts and circumstances, no case is made out on merits to direct investigation against various political functionaries, officers etc. The interim applications are found to be merit less and are dismissed," the bench said today.It said the "random materials" on which the case is based - like loose sheets, papers, and e-mail print outs - are "inadmissible materials" and have "no evidentiary value under the law" to order the registration of FIRs and investigations.The bench also referred to the order passed by the Income Tax Settlement Commission in the Sahara group matter, and said that the commission has also found prima facie that materials recovered from the group were fabricated.Prashant Bhushan today told Times Now that the decision is "a blow" to the citizens of the country, and to the reputation of the Supreme Court.The PIL in the apex court filed by the NGO Common Cause - which Bhushan represents - seeks a SIT probe into the documents allegedly recovered by the Income Tax department in connection with raids on the Sahara and Aditya Birla groups in 2013-14. The documents allegedly list huge payoffs to several high-profile politicians.Both Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have cited the documents to level corruption allegations against PM Narendra Modi.In November, too, the Supreme Court refused to order a probe in the case, and. Last week, Bhushan submitted income tax appraisal reports to try and substantiate allegations and persuade the court to order a thorough probe.Inputs from PTI