Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: High Court has stayed the State Vigilance Commission (SVC) order whereby it had impleaded former Passport Officer Jammu as respondent in a complaint filed by Sudarshan Singh Wazir.
Mr Wazir had applied for grant of new passport on expiry of earlier one and his application, as per the laid procedure, was sent to the CID Headquarters for report. The CID Headquarters restricted the issuance of passport for a period of two years only.
On the basis of this, the then Passport Officer Jammu, Rajender Gupta issued passport for a period of two years. Aggrieved over this, Sudarshan Singh Wazir filed a complaint against IGP CID Dr B Srinavas before the State Vigilance Commission, which also impleaded the then Passport Officer as party respondent.
Aggrieved over the impleadment, Rajinder Gupta filed a petition in the High Court challenging the decision of the Vigilance Commission. Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad appearing for the petitioner submitted that State Vigilance Commission has erroneously and without any jurisdiction entertained the application and without hearing the then Passport Officer or putting him to notice allowed the application and arrayed the petitioner as respondent.
“State Vigilance Commission had no powers to proceed against the petitioner as per Vigilance Commission Act, 2011 as the petitioner at the relevant point of time was discharging his duties as Passport Officer Jammu on deputation with Ministry of External Affairs”, Advocate Ahmad said.
After hearing counsel for the petitioner, Justice Tashi Rabstan stayed the operation of the order dated February 19, 2016 passed by the Vigilance Commission to the extent of the impleadment of Rajinder Gupta.
The Court has also issued notice to the respondents returnable within four weeks.
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