On Friday, the Allahabad High Court has taken very serious of the matter when it found that there is no one to assist the Court on behalf of CBI in absence of Learned A.S.G.
Calling the instance strange, the Court directed the Deputy Legal Advisor, CBI, Lucknow Zone to file a personal affidavit within two weeks explaining why only one Advocate has been assigned to argue all the CBI cases in the High Court.
The Bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh observed:
"The Court has taken very serious view of the matter as nobody is available to assist the court on behalf of the CBI in absence of learned A.S.G."
The incident happened when the Court was hearing the bail application of a former Assistant Post Master, booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, along with provisions under IPC.
During the hearing, the Court sought to hear the objections on the bail plea and the Learned Counsel appearing for Central Govt informed that he is not authorised/empanelled to argue/assist on behalf of the CBI.
The Court then asked whether CBI has a panel or not to which he stated that only Assistant Solicitor General SB Pandey is authorized to argue the matter on behalf of CBI and there is other no empanelled Advocate.
He stated since the ASG wasn't keeping well, he couldn't appear for the hearing leaving no authorized personnel to make submissions on behalf of the CBI.
Demanding affadavit from Deputy Legal Advisor, the Court stated:
"It is very strange that CBI is keeping only one Advocate to argue the matter and nobody is available to assist the learned A.S.G."
The order has been passed by Single-Judge Bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh on 04-09-2020.
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