NHAI files records in HC on HRD official's charges

NHAI submitted records in Delhi High Court in regard to charges against it by an HRD official that his pleas of absorption in the agency were rejected as he "exposed illegal" appointments of several others.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) recently submitted relevant records before a bench comprising Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul in pursuance of an earlier order.
The court hearing the plea of D P Majhi, who is presently working as an under secretary in Human Resources Development ministry, had asked NHAI to produce relevant files before it to "resolve all the controversies".

Majhi, who was earlier on deputation with NHAI, had sought absorption in the agency by filing three separate applications for different posts.
However, NHAI in 2010 decided to repatriate Majhi to his parent department, the Health ministry.
Majhi challenged the decision in the Central Administrative Tribunal but did not get any relief. Aggrieved by CAT's decision, he moved the high court which initially rejected his plea on several grounds.

However, the HC later considered Majhi's review plea and issued a notice to NHAI and asked it to place on record the relevant files concerning his requests for absorption in the department.

Majhi's counsel Prashant Bhushan had told the court that the decision of NHAI to repatriate the official to parent cadre was "malicious".
The review plea also alleged NHAI has absorbed 69 other persons without any verification from their parent departments and Majhi was singled out for denying the benefit.
It also alleged the Central Information Commission has already ordered a probe into his applications going missing from NHAI records.