Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 19: Justice B S Walia today transferred petition seeking initiation of concept of court proceedings against IGP State Vigilance Organization Alok Puri and Dr Kousal Kumar, the then SSP SVO to the Division Bench of the State High Court.
“It is deemed appropriate that the contempt matter be listed before the Division Bench in the week commencing September 19, 2016 after obtaining proper orders from Chief Justice”, Justice Walia said.
The contempt petition has been moved against the IGP and the then SSP SVO for not finalizing the preliminary inquiry into Rs 27 crore liability created in the J&K Housing Board within 15 days.
When this matter came up before the court of Justice B S Walia, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocate Rahul Raina drew the attention of the court towards the inquiry report submitted by 3 Members Committee constituted vide Govt. Order No.178-HUD of 2015 dated July, 14, 2015 to inquire into the works executed by J&K Housing Board during the tenure of Raman Bhalla, the then Minister for Housing and the then Incharge Managing Director, J&K Housing Board Ram Pal Sharma.
Advocate Ahmed submitted that the inquiry report has established a big scandal in J&K Housing Board where on the directions of then Minister for Housing the Managing Director executed works beyond the jurisdiction of J&K Housing Board to the tune of Rs 27 crore and all these works were executed by distributing to the blue eyed contractors of the then Minister.
He also referred to the latest status report filed by IGP, SVO wherein it has been divulged that in order to verify the element of favouritism and undue pecuniary advantage to the blue eyed contractors the SVO has initiated verification in the matter.
Advocate Ahmed invited the attention of the court towards the Apex Court Judgment titled Lalita Kumari V/s State of UP & Ors wherein it has ruled that a preliminary inquiry in a corruption case should not exceed 15 days but in the present case more than 6 months have passed but the inquiry has not been finalized.
After considering the submissions of Advocate Ahmed appearing for the petitioner and Deputy Advocate General Sheikh Faraz Iqbal appearing for SVO, Justice Walia transferred the contempt petition to the Division Bench and directed the Registry to list this matter before the Division Bench after obtaining the proper orders from the Chief Justice.
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