NEW DELHI, Nov 20 - In a respite for Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) Chairman Rakesh Paul, the Supreme Court today ordered a stay on the Gauhati High Court order for a preliminary CBI probe and judicial investigation.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice HL Dattu, Justice SK Singh and Justice Amitava Roy today hearing three Special Leave Petitions in the Supreme Court, stayed the Gauhati High Court�s direction.
The Supreme Court issued notices to the State of Assam and the petitioner.
The Gauhati High Court had directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry into the allegation of disproportionate asset of Rakesh Paul.
The Apex Court also stayed the Gauhati High Court order of judicial inquiry by a retired judge of high court into the anomalies in APSC allegedly perpetrated by Paul and his alleged disproportionate asset.
Advocate Bimal Goel, appearing for Paul, alleged political motive behind the petition seeking CBI and judicial inquiry in the High Court.
On October 15, a division bench of the Gauhati High Court, comprising Acting Chief Justice K Sreedhar Rao and Justice PK Saikia, had directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into allegations of corruption and holding disproportionate assets by the APSC Chairman, as well his wife and brother.
The order came after the High Court was not satisfied with an affidavit filed by the APSC Chairman in connection with a PIL filed by RTI activist Akhil Gogoi earlier.
The court has also taken into consideration a report of an inquiry conducted in 2013 alleging that the APSC Chairman had allegedly accumulated wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The SP had in an affidavit to the Gauhati High Court also stated that since Paul was an influential person there is a possibility of the investigation getting hampered.
