CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court today issued notices to the CBI and the state police on a PIL seeking a judicial probe into an incident of alleged attempt by a team of the central investigative agency to raid the residence of a sitting judge on Tuesday.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vineet Saran, hearing a PIL filed by the local bar association secretary, issued the notices and posted the matter for resumed hearing after the puja vacation.
The petition has urged the high court for a direction to the state government to set up a judicial enquiry headed either by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or a sitting judge of the high court.
A team of CBI officials had recently come looking for the house of a former acting chief justice I M Quddusi, who has now been arrested in a corruption case. Upon his his transfer to the Chhattisgarh High Court in April 2010, Quddusi had shifted there.
The house is now occupied by Justice C R Dash, a sitting judge of the high court.
The CBI officials reportedly left the spot immediately without disturbing the judge following the intervention by the local police.
Police said that on the basis of information provided by a security guard posted at the residence of the judge, a case under IPC Sections 448 (house trespass), 353 (to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 511 (to commit a cognizable offence) and 34 (common intention) has been registered with the Cantonment police station here.
Soon after the notices were issued by the high court, protesting lawyers called off their stir and resumed work.