BENGALURU: The High Court on Friday quashed the proceedings against IAS officer Shamla Iqbal regarding alleged illegal grant of contract for supply of nutritional food.
The Lokayukta police had initiated proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Shamla following a complaint that she illegally awarded the contract in 2012 as Director of the Department of Women and Child Development.
Justice L Narayanaswamy also quashed the proceedings against Usha Patwari, then Joint Director of the Women and Child Development Department and Christy Fried Gram Industry, Bengaluru.
Advocate M S Bhagwat, representing Iqbal, argued that the Lokayukta police conducted the probe based on a complaint filed by an ex-employee of Christy Fried Gram Industry even before registering the FIR. The ex-employee had accused Iqbal of awarding the contract to Christy Fried Gram Industry for illegal gratification.
Bhagwat argued that supply agreements under Integrated Child Development Scheme were executed during the tenure of the previous director in September 2007 and April 2009, and Shamla Iqbal took over as director only in August 2009.
Explanation Sought From Hiremath
Judge of Karnataka High Court Justice Ram Mohan Reddy on Friday sought an explanation from social activist S R Hiremath and from the editor of a Kannada daily, that published ‘scurrilous and defamatory statements’ issued by him.
In the article, published in a Kannada daily on Thursday, Hiremath has accused the presiding judge of a case of colluding with the petitioner, a realtor. Hiremath is a respondent in this case.
Justice Reddy said Hiremath had approached the press without awaiting a decision of the court expressing apprehension that justice would not be done in a fair and unprejudiced manner and unwarranted allegations against the Court and the Presiding Judge.