The Delhi High Court on Friday directed Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash and two other bureaucrats to appear before the committees of the Delhi Assembly, which had issued notices to them, warning them of contempt if they did not do so.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru warned the IAS officers that the court could issue contempt action against them if they failed to appear before the panels.
The order came after the counsel for the Delhi Assembly, the Speaker and two panels informed the court that the three officers were neither appearing before the committees, nor giving reply to the information sought from them.
Senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog argued that the bureaucrats were taking “advantage” of the court’s earlier order restraining the authorities from taking action against them.
The High Court had on March 9 asked the committees not to take coercive steps against the IAS officers. It reiterated the order on Friday and further directed that the proceedings of the panel meetings should be videographed.
Mr. Prakash was earlier served a notice by the Privileges Committee for skipping a meeting on February 20, which was scheduled a day after he was allegedly assaulted by two AAP MLAs: Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal.
The Privileges Committee had issued the notice after receiving a complaint against the Chief Secretary by the Question & Reference (Q&R) Committee.
The Q&R Committee had also served notice to two IAS officers: J.B. Singh, Registrar of Cooperative Societies; and Shurbir Singh, chief executive officer of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board.
The officers were called by the panels over alleged irregularities at Delhi Nagrik Sahkari Bank Ltd.