The Delhi High Court on Friday quashed the Lokpal order allowing the CBI to file a charge sheet against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in the case of allegedly asking questions for money.
Delivering its verdict on Moitra’s petition, a bench of Justices Anil Kshetrapal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar said, “This order is quashed.” We have requested the Lokpal to consider granting approval under Section 20 of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act within a month as per the relevant provisions.
A bench of Justices Anil Kshatrapal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, while pronouncing the order on Moitra’s petition, said, “The order is cancelled. We have requested the Lokpal to consider granting sanction under Section 20 of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act as per the relevant provisions within a month.”
Moitra’s lawyer had argued that the process adopted by the Lokpal was clearly deficient. Citing Section 20(7) of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, he had said that it is necessary that the opinion of government employees be taken before giving approval. This petition was opposed by the CBI, which argued that Moitra had no right to produce documents in the Lokpal proceedings and was only entitled to make comments and not even an oral hearing. Moitra has also sought to restrain the CBI from taking any steps in relation to the sanction order, including but not limited to filing any chargesheet during the ongoing proceedings.
