Pravash Pradhan
Post News Network
New Delhi, August 4: The Supreme Court Tuesday ordered continuance of the stay granted by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in favour of former Orissa Director General of Police (DGP) Prakash Mishra in the Itishree Pradhan murder case.
Mishra had sought apex court’s intervention after the CAT vacated its stay July 29 last granted against the show-cause notice issued to him in the lady teacher’s murder case.The SC also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to complete its investigation within three months and arrest the accused in the case. The central agency which has been investigating the Tikiri primary school teacher’s murder submitted the status report to the apex court in a sealed envelope and sought six months’ time to complete the probe.
The state government also informed the court of the action taken in this connection. Of the 13 state government officials associated with the case, disciplinary action has been taken against eight and three have been exonerated. Prakash Mihsra’s original application is pending with the tribunal and proceedings are going on against the then Rayagada superintendent of police.
Notably, Itishree Pradhan had spoken to the then Orissa DGP Prakash Mishra, who is posted as DG CRPF, about her problems. Mishra is allegedly did not take any action in the matter. Thus, after Itishree’s death, the Rajesh Verma Committee probing the Itishree murder case served a show-cause notice to the DGP seeking details about the matter within 15 days.
The former Orissa DGP, however, moved CAT claiming there was no allegation against him in this case and secured a stay on the notice. The state government again filed an application against the stay order saying no action could be taken against him in this case due to the stay order.
Later, the CAT vacated its stay order.A two-judge bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and N V Ramana heard the case. Lawyer Shibashish Misra appeared in the court on behalf of the state government.
