National
SC junks plea against Asthana’s appointment as CBI Special Director (Lead)
New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to quash the appointment of Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana as the CBI Special Director and dismissed a plea to this effect by NGO Common Cause.
A bench of Justice R.K. Agrawal and Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre held that the appointment “does not suffer from any illegality”.
Prior to his elevation, Asthana was Additional Director in the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The court did not accept the petitioner’s contention that CBI Director Alok Verma’s opinion in the course of consultations by the Selection Committee should have been given primacy for making appointment to the post.
There cannot be any doubt that if the statute provides for consultation with any person before making recommendation for appointment to any post, consultation with that person has to be made, the court said in its order.
But the court added that the question of giving primacy to the opinion expressed by the person with whom the consultation has to be made depends upon various factors.
The court made a distinction between consultation by a Selection Committee and the consultation by the Appointing Authority with some other constitutional/statutory authority.
“If there is no Selection Committee and the Appointing Authority is required to consult with some other constitutional/statutory authority, then the question of giving primacy to the opinion expressed by the person with whom the consultation is to be made exists,” the court said.
However, in cases where a Selection Committee has been constituted, which consists of high officials, and consultation has to be made with another person of the Department for which recommendation for appointment is to be made, in that event, the consultation is only a process of discussion which has to be taken into consideration while making recommendation by the Selection Committee, the court said. It cannot be said to have a primacy.
Referring to the minutes of the October 21 meeting of the Selection Committee that said that the decision to recommend Asthana’s appointment as CBI Special Director was unanimous, the court said newspaper reports that no decision was taken in this meeting was not correct.
NGO Common Cause had cited these reports to say that no decision was taken at the October 21 meeting.
The petitioner challenged the October 22 order of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet that appointed Asthana as Special Director and sought the quashing of appointment on grounds that it was made illegally, arbitrarily and in violation of the principles of impeccable and institutional integrity.
The Centre defended Asthana’s appointment, saying he had an unblemished record and that he was described as an “outstanding” officer by the agency itself just a few months earlier.
Common Cause had raised questions regarding Asthana for his alleged proximity to Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech Group, a company of Sandesara Group, which is being investigated by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.
“The company is under investigation by the ED for alleged money laundering of Rs 5,000 crore and Asthana’s name figures in a diary seized by the Income Tax Department in 2011,” the petitioner told the apex court.
–IANS
pk/tsb/mr
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration
Casino Days Reveal Internal Data on Most Popular Smartphones
Meghalaya Reserves Legalized Gambling and Sports Betting for Tourists
IPL 20202 UPDATE: KXIP vs MI IPL Dream11 Team Prediction for Today Match, Update Point Table of all Team.
In a Live debate AAP leader Syed Asad Abbas hurls abuses to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
‘India’s Most Wanted’ trailer out Arjun Kapoor on hunt of Osama-Bin-Laden
Time to move on: Sonakshi on Shatrughan’s joining Congress
