Delhi HC issues notice to IFS Sanjiv Chaturvedi on CBI plea challenging CIC order

The Delhi High court on Friday issued notice to Sanjiv Chaturvedi, the former Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), AIIMS on plea moved by CBI challenging the order passed by Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) asking it to provide information related an investigation under RTI.

The court has stayed the said order till the next date of hearing.

Justice Yashwant Varma while issuing the notice to Chaturvedi stayed the order of November 25, 2019 passed by CIC. The matter has been listed for January 27, 2023.

The bench also noted that Chaturvedi was placed on advance notice but none has appeared on his behalf. The petition has been moved by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of CBI.

The bench said, "Prima facie, the Court finds merit in the contention of the counsel for the petitioner that material that may be gathered in the course of investigation would not be liable to be disclosed under the Right to Information Act, 2005."

The special public prosecutor (SPP) for CBI Anupam Sharma submitted that CBI is controlled by the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 and answerable to the Central Vigilance Commission.

It was also submitted by the SPP that since CBI is not statutorily obliged to furnish it to the Central Government, CCI clearly erred in deciding the case based on Section 24 of the RTI Act. The bench said that the matter requires consideration.

Chaturvedi, an IFS, during his stint at AIIMS, New Delhi had exposed large-scale alleged corruption.

( With inputs from ANI )