Ordering a stay on the arrest of suspended IAS officer Pankaj Pandey till October 30, one of the accused in the national highway 74 scam, the High Court has directed the petitioner to file his anticipatory bail appeal in the session court. Based on this direction of the single bench of justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari, the petitioner withdrew his appeal from the High Court.
One of the two IAS officers suspended for alleged role in the NH-74 land compensation scam, Pandey had filed an appeal for anticipatory bail in the High Court. The Government counsel had objected to this, stating that recently the single bench had directed that anticipatory bail applications should be filed in the session court.
On this basis, Pandey should file for anticipatory bail in the lower court, the Government counsel said. On the other hand, Pandey’s counsel cited a Supreme Court order to state that the High Court concerned is also within its rights to hear on an anticipatory bail application. On the basis of the arguments put forth by the Government counsel, the High Court single bench directed the petitioner to file for anticipatory bail in the session court.
The Government counsel also assured the court that the police will not arrest the suspended IAS officer till October 30.