Division bench stays single judge's order

A division bench of the Madras High court today stayed an order of a single Judge for a CBI probe into illegalities of sand quarrying in the districts of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, on an appeal filed by the State Government.
Justice Manikumar had on September 20 on a petition by Poonamallee Circle River and Lorry owners Association directed the CBI to investigate on the complaints of illegal sand quarrying in these districts.
Secretaries of Industries Department, Public Works Department and Collectors of the two districts filed a writ appeal against it.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice R K Agrawal and Justice M Sathyanarayanan today stayed the order and directed Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu government to file a detailed Action Taken Report on the allegations, facts and the events mentioned by the Single Judge in his order and posted the matter for further hearing on October 23.

In its appeal, the state government submitted that the single Judge's order was on a petition filed by an Association, which has no locus standi, and not by any individual, whose legal rights were affected.