HC expresses displeasure over CBI director's failure to submit probe report on teacher selection

On the failure of the CBI director to furnish the progress report pursuant to its earlier order asking him to hold a probe in connection with the selection procedure pertaining to 68,500 assistant basic teachers in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High court has expressed displeasure over the dilly-dallying attitude of the central agency.

The Lucknow bench of the court, in its order, Monday said, "The CBI director holds a very responsible post. He should understand the seriousness of the order passed by this court and act promptly to serve the nation in these serious matters."

The remark was made by Justice Irshad Ali in the course of the hearing of a bunch of petitions, which was fixed for perusing the progress report on the probe.

 

Justice Ali had, on November 1, directed the CBI director to hold the probe into the alleged anomalies within six months and had summoned the progress report Monday.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) counsel Bireshwar Nath told the court, "The CBI director is not able to decide as to which branch of the agency will investigate the issue involved in the recruitment process of assistant teachers in 2018."

At this, the court expressed anguish and warned the CBI director for coming up with such a reply.

It then posted the matter to December 10 and directed the CBI director to submit the progress report on that date.

Meanwhile, a division bench of justices Vikram Nath and Manish Mathur deferred the hearing of a special appeal filed by the state government challenging the November 1 single-judge order passed on bunch of writ petitions.

The bench asked the state counsel to serve a copy of the special appeal to as many as 42 candidates, on whose petitions the single judge had passed the order.

On behalf of the state, Advocate General Raghvendra Singh stressed that the single judge's suo motu order for a CBI inquiry was unwarranted as the state government had itself instituted an inquiry and that the said order should be set aside.