Giving a relief to the five former Haryana MlAs, Punjab and Haryana High Court has put a stay on the Haryana lokayukta’s recommendation to lodge FIR against them in ClU-CD scam.
Taking up the petitions filed by Vinod Bhayana, Naresh Selwal, Jarnail Singh, Rao Narinder Singh, and Ram Niwas Ghorela, Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu while issuing notice of motion for February 16 said that no further action pursuant to recommendation in the impugned order dated December 16 be taken till the next date.
The petitioners have challenged the order dated December 16 by Haryana lokayukta, whereby a recommendation was made to the competent authority to register criminal cases for offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Relying on the verdict of a similar matter against former Chief Parliamentary Secreatary Ram Kishan Fauji, The complaint contained allegations of official position’s abuse to obtain undue gain. The allegations were sought to be substantiated by a video prepared by one Dharmender Kuhar. The transcript, the video and a pen drive were annexed along with the complaint.
The lokayukta submitted his report with recommendations after completing the inquiry. Counsel for the petitioner argued that video and the memory card relied on in the case were the same relied on in former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ram Kishan Fauji’s case.
In his case also, the lokayukta recommended registration of a criminal case. The recommendation was challenged by filing a writ petition, which was allowed vide judgement dated February 27 and FIR registered pursuant to the recommendations was quashed.