Retired IAS officer acquitted in MP power meter purchase case

A special court today acquitted a retired woman IAS officer in an electricity meter purchase case dating back to 1997.
Acquitting Ajeeta Vajpayee Pandey, special court judge (Lokayukta) Akshay Dwivedi said that she was not found to be involved in any wrongdoing in the matter.
The case against the official was that as the member (Finance) of the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board, she had opined to purchase high-cost electricity meters.
However, during the trial, she had clarified that as the member (Finance), she had given her opinion that since the purchase was of more than Rs one crore, the board's approval should be taken.

Her lawyer, Surendra Singh, pointed out that department officials had issued tenders without the board's approval and Pandey had no role in it.
The court, which had reserved its judgement on Tuesday, pronounced it today, acquitting Pandey.