Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Feb 24:

The state Vigilance Directorate today failed to submit the preliminary inquiry report before the Odisha High Court, based on which an FIR was registered against former state DGP Prakash Mishra. The court granted seven days' time to the agency to place the records before it.

Prakash-MishraIn the last hearing on the case, Justice SC Parija had directed the Vigilance Directorate to submit the inquiry report in a sealed cover to the court before today's hearing.

The court has posted the next hearing to March 4.

Notably, Mishra is facing the vigilance case for allegedly showing undue favours to some suppliers in 2006 thereby causing pecuniary loss to the state exchequer.

Mishra, who was summoned by Vigilance to present his views on the case in November last year, had expressed his inability to respond to the summons in view of the official commitments.

During that period, Mishra was holding the key position of Special Secretary (internal security) in the Union Home Ministry and had reportedly expressed his inability to come for the deposition as the Parliament session was on.

Subsequently, he was appointed DG of CRPF and the state Vigilance has not yet fixed any fresh date to summon him.

It may be recalled that the Odisha High Court had restrained the state government from taking any ‘coercive action’ against the senior police officer in October last year, who was posted as the special secretary, Internal Security then.