Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 6: A Division Bench of High Court of J&K and Ladakh comprising Chief Justice (Acting) Tashi Rabstan and Justice Puneet Gupta has impleaded Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as party respondent in the much publicised Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 9/2012) titled Sheikh Mohd Shafi and Anr. V/s Union of India and Ors and issued notice to the CBI through its Director and Superintendent of Police/Head of Branch, CBI, Special Crime Branch Chandigarh returnable by or before October 15.
When the PIL came up for hearing, counsels appearing for the PIL submitted that despite last and final opportunity granted to the Union of India and UT Administration no response has been filed to the application (CM No. 7441/2023) filed by the petitioners seeking impleadment of CBI as party respondent in the PIL.
They further submitted that on the request of J&K Government, the CBI has registered two FIRs in the infamous arms licences scam wherein several IAS/JKAS Officers are allegedly involved. “The period of scam which is under investigation relates back to 2012-2016 and CBI is at the advanced stage of investigation and for monitoring of the investigation, the status report is required to be summoned from CBI, Chandigarh Branch, so that a view is taken by the Division Bench in a matter of wide public importance relating to national security”, they added.
After considering the submissions of counsels for the PIL, Division Bench impleaded CBI as party respondent.