Names of investigating officials cannot be withheld: CIC

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) The names and designations ofofficials who dealt with a criminal case from time to timecannot be withheld under any provision of the RTI Act and theyshould be provided to an applicant, the Central InformationCommission has held.

The case relates to an RTI application filed by one AjayKumar Gulati who was earlier arrested by the CBI but lateracquitted by the court while trial in the case of some otheraccused was still pending.

Gulati had sought to know from the CBI the names of theofficials along with views expressed by them during the courseof the probe in the case file. These queries were rejected bythe CBI saying that they would adversly affect the pendingcase.

"The fact is that the names and designations of theofficials who had dealt with various aspect of the case fromtime to time cannot be withheld under any provisions of theRight to Information Act," said Chief Information CommissionerSatyananda Mishra.

With regards to views expressed by the officials in thecase file, Mishra directed the CBI to provide the details incase the court has passed final orders in it. He, however,held in case the trial is still pending and final orders areawaited, the notings may not be disclosed.