26 July :A designated court has snubbed the CBI while rejecting its second closure report against former Railways minister C K Jafar Sharif in a case of allegedly misusing his official position and directed the probe agency to prosecute him sans sanction from the Home Ministry.
"These aspects make it clear that for extraneous considerations, the present closure report was filed by the investigating officer of the CBI. I think it expedient to call upon the director CBI to conduct a probe against the IO by way of departmental inquiry," special CBI Judge R K Yadav said.
"I take cognizance of the offence. Since C K Jafar Sharif ceased to be a public servant long ago, no sanction as contemplated under section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act is required," the court said.
Sharif, a member of the cabinet led by then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, had allegedly forced the Managing Directors of public sector undertakings — RITES and IRCON — to grant sanction for the travel of three employees of the Ministry to London in 1995.
The minister, a cardiac patient, wanted his associates to be with him during his treatment at Princess Grace Hospital at London.
Sharif, according to the CBI, had caused loss to the exchequer of Rs 7.52 lakhs by taking along his additional personal secretary B N Nagesh and his two stenographers S M Mastan and V Murlaidhar. Courtsey DD NEWS