CBI cites HC stay in Mayawati, Mulayam case: CIC adjourns

New Delhi, Dec 7: The Central Information Commission (CIC) on Friday adjourned hearing of a case related to disclosure of

charges against

,

, Lalu Yadav and Shibu Soren, till Delhi High Court vacates its stay in a similar matter. A full Bench of the CIC had called the hearing on the plea of activist Subhash Agrawal who sought disclosure of information related to corruption cases against the four leaders which was denied by

.

Agrawal wanted complete details of corruption cases against the leaders and whether there was a change in CBI's position during the probe. During the hearing, the agency cited a stay of Nov 30 by Delhi High Court in a case of activist CJ Karira, where Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra had ordered the agency to disclose the information even though it was placed in the category of exempted organisations. The high court had given the next date of hearing on Apr 13.

The Commission adjourned the matter till a decision from the high court is given on the matter which would mean that till stay is vacated, no information on corruption cases against these leaders can be accessed from the CBI under the transparency law. In Karira's case, CBI had claimed that since it has been exempted from RTI Act it cannot provide the information.

Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra had held that even though the agency was brought under exempted category, in the cases of allegation of corruption the information can be provided if it does not attract other exemption clauses. CBI was included in the second schedule of the Section 24 of the RTI Act which allows national and security organisations of the country listed under it from making any disclosures under the transparency. However, information pertaining allegations of corruption and human rights violations do not come under the exemption.

PTI