NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s decision to appoint IFS (Indian Forest Service) officer Rahul as the director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Rahul was removed from Corbett Tiger Reserve over allegations of illegal tree-cutting.
“We are not in a feudal era jahan jo bhi raja bole... (We are not in a feudal era where whatever the king says stays). At least there should have been some application of mind with reasons in writing, when he (Dhami) differed from his minister and chief secretary. Just because he is the Chief Minister, can he do anything?
Either that officer should be exonerated or the departmental proceedings be dropped. There is something called public trust doctrine,” a three-judge bench, led by Justice BR Gavai, remarked, while hearing about illegal constructions and tree felling at the Jim Corbett National Park.
Despite departmental proceedings pending against Rahul, the IFS officer was appointed as Rajaji National Park director, the court was told.
Commenting on the decision of the Uttarakhand CM, the apex court observed that Dhami had gone against everyone’s advice and he did not consider objections. “He (the CM) has to give reasons why (Rahul was appointed)? He is ignoring everything. He has to explain why he disagrees with the bureaucrat and the forest minister?” the apex court asserted.
From the deputy secretary, everyone pointed out that the departmental proceedings have been initiated against Rahul and an inquiry is underway, it added.
Also in top court
SC to review PMLA verdict on Sept 18
The top court on Wednesday said it would hear on September 18 a batch of review petitions against the Vijay Madanlal Choudhary (VMC) judgment, which upheld various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The VMC verdict was delivered on July 27, 2022 by a three-judge SC bench. It upheld certain provisions of PMLA related to the ED’s power of arrest and attachment, search and seizure, as well as to reverse the burden of proof.
Shahi Idgah dispute: Muslim side moves SC
The Muslim side has moved the Supreme Court against the Allahabad High Court order rejecting their plea against the maintainability of 18 cases related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute in Mathura. The plea challenging the August 1 order of the high court has been filed in the apex court by the Committee of Management Trust, Shahi Masjid Idgah, through advocate RHA Sikander. Sikander said the plea is likely to be taken up for hearing next week.