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Orissa probe panel raps CBI

M I Khan in Bhubaneswar

The Central Bureau of Investigations, probing a multi-crore polythene scam, was taken to task by the Justice R K Patra Commission, following its failure to submit a status report by September 11.

The CBI has now been asked to submit the status report by September 14.

The case was handed over to the CBI by the coalition government of the Biju Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party a few months back.

The state government had set up the commission, headed by Justice Patra, under the Commission of Inquiries Act. It will be a fact-finding and recommendatory body.

The CBI had sought 10 more days to submit the status report.

The commission also expressed displeasure over the manner in which a notification for extension of its tenure was issued by the state government. Patra directed the state's special counsel to ensure that while extending the commission's period, the government should clearly mention the period extended.

Last July, acting on orders from the Orissa high court, the CBI had registered a case against three senior government officials, including a principal secretary and two other senior officials, for criminal misconduct and abuse of official position in the procurement of polythene rolls for cyclone victims.

The three have been accused of deliberately incorporating a defective description of polythene material in the purchase order.

On May 12, before handing over the inquiry to the CBI, Justices P C Nayak and B P Das had issued strictures against the state government, pointing out a number of irregularities in the procurement. The judgement followed filing of some public interest litigations and cases.

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