CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi in connection with the ongoing CBI investigation into an alleged corruption case. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on July 8.
The case originates from the December 8 arrest of a group general manager of a public sector undertaking (PSU), who was allegedly caught accepting rS 10 lakh bribe from a Bhubaneswar-based real estate firm. During interrogation, Sethi’s name reportedly surfaced, leading the CBI to conduct a search at his residence on February 18.
Sethi had earlier filed a writ petition on February 25 seeking to quash the CBI investigation. The high court had granted him interim protection at that time, which was extended periodically until the petition was dismissed on June 20. On the same day, Sethi filed an anticipatory bail plea.
After a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Justice V Narasingh granted Sethi interim protection from arrest until the next hearing and sought a status report on the investigation from the CBI. In its June 20 ruling, the court had dismissed the writ petition, calling it “premature and not maintainable” since the probe was still at an early stage. The court cautioned against misuse of its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution to obstruct legitimate investigations.
Emphasising the principle that “higher the office, greater the responsibility,” the court remarked that public servants, especially senior bureaucrats like Sethi, are expected to uphold the law and not evade scrutiny. It also criticised what it described as “forum-shopping” by the petitioners, warning that allowing such practices would send a dangerous message.