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New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, August 17: In a major embarrassment for the state government, the Supreme Court Monday dismissed its special leave petition challenging the Orissa High Court order that had quashed the FIR filed by it against CRPF Director General and former DGP Prakash Mishra.
The state government had moved the apex court August 13 challenging the High Court’s decision. On a reply to a question over the apex court’s verdict, the former DGP refused to comment. “You read the Honourable Supreme Court’s judgement. I don’t want to say beyond that,” he said, adding “Even we were not served any notice in this case. None of our lawyers was present in the court also.”
The Orissa High Court had quashed the state vigilance case against Mishra over the allegations that he had favoured some suppliers in 2009 during his tenure as CMD of Orissa Police Housing and Welfare Corporation.
Hearing the appeal, the two-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justice J Chelemeshwar and Justice Abhaya Manohar Sapre dismissed the petition of the Orissa government.
The state government had hired noted lawyers like Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Harish Salve to plead its case in the Supreme Court.
It may be noted that the Bhubaneswar vigilance division had registered an FIR against the former DGP alleging misappropriation of funds by giving advance payments to some steel and cement suppliers in 2009 violating rules. Mishra, however, moved the Orissa High Court against the FIR.
“The Supreme Court’s decision is a great slap in the face of the state government and the BJD government has no moral right to run the state,” Leader of Opposition Narsingha Mishra said.
BJP state unit chief KV Singh Deo said on the one hand the government took seven days to suspend a tainted IPS officer Satish Gajbhiye while on the other hand it used its full power to attack an honest officer. P
