The Kerala High Court on Thursday adjourned for two weeks a petition filed by CBI officials S Unnikrishnan Nair and K K Rajan, whose names were mentioned in the suicide note of ASP Haridath, challenging the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Ernakulam Bench which upheld their transfer to Guwahati and Kolkata.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice A M Shaffique issued the directive and refused to issue an interim stay on the CAT order.
Assistant Solicitor-General Vanchiyoor Parameswaran Nair, appearing for the Centre and CBI standing counsel Chandrashekhara Pillai strongly opposed the plea of the officials.
The Centre submitted that the two cops have no grounds to challenge the transfer order, in view of the fact that they hold an all-India transfer liability.
The CBI said that the duo had been transferred in public interest. The prime reason for the transfer is that the petitioners’ names were mentioned in the suicide note of the deceased officer, the CBI said.
Counsel for the petitioners Pirappancode V S Sudheer submitted that the transfer was made with a malafide intention.
The transfer order was issued as part of the efforts of the superior officers to exonerate two top IPS officers from the Sampath custodial death case, he said.