ANOTHER "ERROR OF JUDGEMENT" CASE LOOMS LARGE

Home ministry busy in tracing out document to "save" PM

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 4: The Union home ministry is seemingly working overtime apparently to “save” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from a possible embarrassment that well may emerge in near future as yet another “P.J. Thomas-like error of judgement” case.

The home ministry has asked the Central intelligence personnel to find out details about a person who has been appointed in a highly constitutional post like “governor” despite pending criminal cases against him in Orissa High Court.

Sources said the Central intelligence officials, despite making desperate efforts, have failed to trace out the case file in the Orissa High Court.

The person is question, a senior Congress leader and former chief minister, faces the charges of “abetment” of “rape” and “murder.”

The Orissa High Court, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on the alleged abetment of “rape” and “murder,” asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April, 2005 to inquire into the matter and submit the report within four weeks. The CBI has surprisingly not yet filed its report before the court.

Sources said the Central intelligence officials, during their search for the whole case file in the HC, got an “impression” that the document was “missing.” Instead of giving a concrete reply to the Union home ministry, the sources said, the intelligence officials have stopped the search for the document.

The search for the sensitive file began only after a veteran social activist wrote a letter to President Pratibha Patil citing impropriety “committed” in the “rehabilitation” appointment of the said politician in the post and prayed for taking corrective measures. On September 30, 2010, the President forwarded the letter to the Union home secretary as to what action has been taken on the basis of the information furnished by the petitioner.

On March 4, 2011, the Union home ministry asked the Central intelligence to trace out the file. However, after three-four days of hectic search by four superintendent level officials, the intelligence wing dropped the mission as it could not make any headway.
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