HC refuses to make CBI a party

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 19

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today refused to make the CBI a party in the HCS (judicial branch) paper leak case. The Bench also set October 10 as the deadline for the special investigation of the Chandigarh Police to intimate the court about the progress of investigation. The report would be submitted in a sealed cover.

The full Bench of Justice Rajesh Bindal, Justice Rajan Gupta and Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia observed that an FIR for the alleged offence was being registered in Chandigarh.

The SIT had already been constituted to investigate the matter. “Hence, at this stage, we do not find any reason to implead the CBI as party to the present petition,” the Bench added.

Appearing before the Bench, UT Public Prosecutor RS Rai submitted that an FIR would be registered today itself in terms of the order dated September 15. Its copy would be placed on record before the next date of hearing, he added.

The Bench had ruled that the probe into the criminal case against the Registrar (Recruitment) and two accused candidates would be carried out by the special investigation agency of the Chandigarh Police. The High Court counsel had told the full Bench that it did not have any objection in case the matter was investigated by an independent agency.