PIL in Odisha HC on CBI trespass issue

Cuttack: There seems to be more trouble for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its alleged criminal trespass into the official quarters of Justice C R Dash, a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court.

The Orissa High Court Bar Association today filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding judicial probe into the incident by a retired Supreme Court judge or by a sitting High Court judge.

Union Home Secretary, Director CBI, IG CBI, SP CBI, State Home Secretary, DGP, Twin City Police Commissioner, DCP Cuttack, IIC Cantonment Police Station and Registrar High Court have been named respondents in the PIL.

The CBI which was conducting searches raids in connection with a graft case involving retired Orissa High Court judge I M Quddushi had allegedly tried to trespass into the official quarters of Justice Dash.

The CBI team’s entry was resisted by the security personnel on duty at Justice Dash’s residence. However, while they were engaged in an argument with the security personnel, a PCR van of the Cantonment police station which was passing through the area stopped there and asked them if they had the necessary search warrant and took them to the police station. But allegedly, police had let them go after they had disclosed their identity.

Following the incident, High Court lawyers are on cease work since Wednesday.