Manish kumar, op
New Delhi, Oct 13: The Supreme Court Friday ordered a stay on further hearing of a writ petition filed by Orissa High Court Bar Association in connection with the ‘raid by mistake’ conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the residence of sitting HC judge Justice CR Dash. The apex court decision came on a transfer petition filed by the CBI.
The bar association had filed the writ petition before the Orissa High Court after the CBI, which had been investigating a corruption case involving former Chhattisgarh High Court Judge IM Quddusi, reportedly reached the official bungalow of Justice Dash based on outdated records that indicated it to be the official residence of Quddusi.
Counsel for CBI submitted before the SC bench that the investigating team never went beyond the gates of Justice Dash’s official residence. “The media made the issue big. The CBI did seek an appointment with Justice Dash to apologise for the mistake and was given time to do so. However, the appointment was cancelled as the Orissa High Court Bar Association filed the writ petition.”
A two-judge SC bench comprising Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan, stayed hearing on the writ petition by the Orissa High Court till further orders.
A CBI spokesperson told Orissa POST: “The Supreme Court has issued orders staying the October 16 hearing on the writ petition filed by the bar association until the next hearing on the transfer plea of the CBI scheduled for October 30.”