New Delhi: The Centre has approached the Netherlands for information regarding the Dutch company involved in the dredger scam case against former DGP Jacob Thomas. The Union Home Ministry has submitted a Letter Rogatory to the Dutch government for this purpose, Union Additional Solicitor General S V Raju informed the Supreme Court.

The Letter Rogatory seeks information about IHC Beaver, a Dutch company that is a co-accused in the dredger scam case. It was handed over after a request from the investigating officer of the Kerala Vigilance team. The complainant in the case, Sathyan Naravoor, had earlier alleged before the Supreme Court that the Centre was not cooperating with the investigation due to Jacob Thomas’ links with the Bharathiya Janata Party.

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Following the submission of the Letter Rogatory, the Supreme Court directed the Central Government to take immediate steps to obtain the required information from the Netherlands. The Court instructed the CBI SP in Delhi and officials from the Union Law Ministry’s Legal Cell to hold necessary discussions with the Dutch ambassador in Delhi. The Court also directed them to update on the progress by March 3. The case is being heard by a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjwal Bhuyan.

On Friday, the Under Secretary of the Legal Cell appeared before the Supreme Court to explain the delay in responding to the notice issued in the petition. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju represented the Central Government, while Senior Advocate Jayant Muthuraj and Standing Counsel Harshad V Hameed appeared for the State Government. Advocate Kaleeswaram Raj appeared for Sathyan Naravoor, the complainant, and Advocate A Karthik represented Jacob Thomas.