New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday adjourned the hearing of a special leave petition (SLP) filed by Odisha Lokayukta challenging the order of the Orissa High Court in Pradeep Panigrahi corruption case.
A two-judge bench of the apex court comprising justices Ajay Rastogi and Abhay S Oka said that it would hear the case January 12.
During the hearing, the counsel appearing for Panigrahi pleaded the court to vacate its stay on the Orissa High Court order. However, the bench didn’t pass any order Monday and adjourned the matter.
Significantly, Odisha Lokayukta had filed the SLP in the Supreme Court challenging the orders of the Orissa High Court which ruled that the Lokayukta cannot order preliminary enquiry against Panigrahi from Vigilance department of the state as the latter is the complainant in the matter.
The SC had April 23 last year stayed the Orissa HC order restraining the Vigilance department from conducting enquiry against Panigrahi in a corruption case and had issued notice in April.
It is to be mentioned here that Lokayukta in December last year had directed the state Vigilance to probe the corruption charges made against the Gopalpur MLA.
The Lokayukta had also asked the Vigilance Directorate to conduct a preliminary inquiry against Panigrahi and submit a report within two months.
