NRHM scam: HC decides to monitor progress of investigations

A Division Bench comprising Justice Amar Saran and Justice Pankaj Naqvi also decided to treat a petition filed by an IAS officer, challenging his arraignment, as a Public Interest Litigation.

It passed the order on August 30 on a writ petition filed by Pradeep Shukla, a former Principal Secretary in the Health Department in UP, who was recently released on bail by a special CBI court in Ghaziabad.

The court noted that Shukla was released on bail on August eight, 2012 "on the ground that the charge-sheet had not been filed within the stipulated period of 90 days despite the CBI obtaining vacation of a stay on submission of the charge-sheet".

The court had stayed filing of the charge-sheet on June 28 this year but vacated the same on July 25.

"In this background, we have taken a decision to treat this petition as a Public Interest Litigation.

"We have also decided to call for reports periodically for monitoring the progress of preliminary inquiries and other consequential matters for ensuring that there are no further unacceptable delays at different stages as the matter involves the larger public interest and faith of public in governance and the judiciary is at stake," the court observed.