CAT slaps contempt notice on Centre

Centre had failed to get any relief from Delhi High Court which had refused to stay CAT order earlier this month

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) today slapped a contempt notice on the Centre for not implementing its order of absorbing in ED an Uttar Pradesh police officer who has been probing cases like 2G spectrum allocation, CWG and Coal blocks allotments.

The contempt notice was served to Union Finance Ministry and Department of Personnel and Training for not following its order of December 24, 2012 which allowed permanent absorption of the officer in the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The officer, Rajeshwar Singh, on deputation with ED since 2007, has been at the forefront of investigations into these high-profile cases besides being a complainant in a case where a UP-based diversified conglomerate had allegedly offered him bribe of Rs one crore to close the case against it.

The Principal bench of CAT here issued orders after Singh, posted as Deputy Director in the ED, sought contempt proceedings against the two government departments which did not follow the court order. The next hearing is on March 25.

The Centre had failed to get any relief from the Delhi High Court which had refused to stay the CAT order earlier this month.

The officer has been fighting for his case since the Finance Ministry, last year, sought to repatriate him to his parent state Uttar Pradesh by taking him off from the probe team of the agency.

Singh, through his lawyer had informed both the High Court and CAT that there were 135 vacancies in ED and his name had been recommended in 2012 by UPSC for permanent absorption and in fact the officer had topped the list.

The lawyer for Singh, a decorated UP police service officer, had stated that he is the Chief Investigative Officer probing various major scams, including 2G money trail and Aircel-Maxis deal.

When his deputation ended in October 2013, ED Director had recommended one-year extension of service to Singh, citing the ongoing 2G cases and the Supreme Court order not to transfer investigating officers.

However, the Finance Ministry rejected this prompting the officer to proceeded on leave and approach CAT.

There is a petition by the Centre before Supreme Court as well citing that the officer's role in the probe into the 2G had been done and that he should be repatriated to the UP police. The apex court is yet to decide the matter.

In 2012, the apex court had quashed all complaints against Singh.