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One more judge declines to adjudicate over suspended IAS officer’s petition

CUTTACK: The legal battle suspended IAS officer Prashant Kumar Naik is fighting over his alleged involvement in Balasore sex scandal case is getting ‘murkier’ day by day. As many as five judges of the Orissa High Court have now refused to adjudicate over Mr. Naik’s petition, who is seeking a relief to quash a summon order issued to him by the Bhubaneswar CBI court.

While Justices A S Naidu, P Mohanty, I M Qudusi and Indrajit Mohanty had earlier refused to hear the case on separate occasions, Justice S R Singharavelu on Tuesday declined to adjudicate over the case anymore after holding four sittings over it.

“I release the case from my court and let it be placed before the Chief Justice,” said Justice Singharavelu on Tuesday bringing a stunning silence among the lawyers inside the courtroom.

He however, appreciated counsel from both sides for their cooperation in conducting the case so far. But Justice Singharavelu’s last oral observation that “Let me retire peacefully” before winding up the case raised eyebrows among the lawyers present inside his court.

“This clearly indicates that the judge was under tremendous pressure and was perhaps forced to keep his hands off the case”, said senior advocate Madhusudan Panda, who is appearing in the case on behalf of the protest petitioner.

It may be mentioned that Mr. Naik’s name had not figured in the initial CBI chargesheet while cases were registered against three others in the rape of a Balasore-based college girl in a Bhubaneswar apartment in 1999. However, following the repeal of impugned chargesheet, summons were issued to Mr. Naik by the CBI court after taking cognizance of a protest petition filed by social activist Prashant Kumar Das.

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