HC asks Centre to reply on refusal of CBI probe in fertilser scam

Patna, Sep 11 (UNI) Patna High Court today directed the Centre to place the records relating to refusal of CBI to probe the fertiliser subsidy scam within three weeks.

While hearing a public interest litigation petition seeking probe into the fertiliser scam, a division bench of Justice Narain Roy and Justice M K Jha wondered how the Central government had not yet ordered a CBI probe into the matter despite recommendation by the Bihar government in this regard long back.

The bench reminded that both the Centre and the state government should respect the power and jurisdiction of each other as warranted under the federal structure of governance envisaged in constitution.

The petitioner pointed out before the court that during 1994-98, the fertiliser subsidies to the tune of hundreds of crores were misappropriated by the officials of Bihar government and the Central government in connivance with the fertiliser companies. The farmers of Bihar had suffered a lot due to siphoning of the fertiliser subsidies amount, he stated.

UNI