Even if it got a tight slap from the Odisha High Court in the matter, the State Government has approached the Supreme Court challenging the June 19 High Court order quashing the Vigilance case against CRPF DG and former Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra.
lawyer on State Government panel Milind Kumar filed a special leave petition (SlP) in the apex court on Thursday challenging the High Court order. The case would be heard by a Bench consisting of Justices J Chelemeshwar and Abhaya Manohar Sapre on August 17.
It may be pointed out that the State Government, in an FIR, had charged Mishra with favouring some suppliers during his tenure as the CMD of Odisha Police Housing and Welfare Corporation during 2006-7 and 2009-10.
Mishra had challenged this move in the High Court, seeking quashing of the case. The court not only quashed the case but also pulled up the Government for its act. "It's not uncommon that honest and upright officers are victimised by political establishments," Justice SC Parija had remarked in his order.
Holding that there was no prima facie case against Mishra, the High Court had said the Director of Vigilance did not "ensure free and fair investigation before registering a case against the officer".