Bhubaneswar: Adding fuel to the ongoing controversy over CBI officials trying to enter the residence of Orissa High Court’s sitting Judge CR Dash on the midnight of September 19, the ruling-BJD claimed it to be an intimidation strategy used by the agency against the judge.
“CBI arriving at an acting Judge’s residence at midnight and later claiming it as a mistake is not acceptable. The officials of the premier investigation agency had gone to threaten CR Dash to think before granting bails,” said Barabati-Cuttack MLA of BJD Debasish Samantray.
CBI’s alibi that it was a mere ‘goof up’ and that the raid was in connection with a case against retired Orissa High Court judge IM Quddusi and had nothing to do with CR Dash has not gone down well with the ruling BJD, which only days earlier termed MLA Prabhat Biswal’s arrest by the agency as politically motivated.
The incident has already kicked off a political storm in Odisha with leaders cutting across party lines condemning such action by CBI.
“Knocking at the doors of a serving High Court judge at 2 am and trying to trespass is a crime and police action should be taken against the guilty CBI officers,” said senior BJP leader, Bijoy Mohapatra.
BJP general secretary, Prithviraj Harichandan said, “CBI’s action was totally unwarranted. However, the attempt by BJD to politicize the issue will not be successful.”
Also Read: Retd Orissa HC judge Quddusi, 5 others arrested by CBI
CBI officials had reached the residence of Justice CR Dash at around 2 AM on Wednesday. The bungalow was earlier home to retired Justice IM Quddusi, who was serving as a judge from 2004 to 2010 in Orissa High Court. Later on, the CBI clarified that it was in connection with a case against Quddusi and said its officials did not enter the premises of CR Dash’s residence.
However, the Commissionerate police registered a case against CBI officials based on the statements of two home guards deployed at the residence of the Justice CR Dash.
Earlier today, Quddusi was arrested by CBI in connection with a medical college scam. Apart from the retired judge, five others were also arrested by the CBI in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, the bar association of Orissa High Court, which vehemently protested CBI’s actions and launched a cease-work stir on Wednesday, filed a PIL today seeking a judicial probe into the entire incident.
The lawyers in their PIL have demanded a judicial probe either by a retired SC Judge or acting Orissa High Court Judge.
Union Home Secretary, CBI director, Odisha Home Secretary, Odisha DGP, Twin City Police Commissioner, Inspector-in-charge of Cantonment Police station where FIR was filed against CBI have been made parties in the PIL.
Moreover, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cuttack today wrote to CBI director seeking details of the officers who were trying to enter the residence of CR Dash.
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