PANJIM: The Chief Secretary and Director General of Goa Police have again moved the High Court of Bombay at Goa challenging the jurisdiction of Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) to order an inquiry into the 2016 BRICS summit Rs 51 lakh food scam. The petition is likely to come up for hearing next week.
In a joint petition seeking quashing of proceedings, they submitted before the High Court that GHRC had exceeded its powers and acted contrary to statutory procedure.
Acting on the complaint filed by advocate Aires Rodrigues, GHRC in December last had asked the Chief Secretary to submit a report after conducting an inquiry and fix responsibility and accountability on erring officials. GHRC in its order had outlined 28 points to be examined by the Chief Secretary while conducting the inquiry.
The Chief Secretary in his reply to GHRC on January 25 this year had stated that the inquiry had been initiated and statements of police officials recorded, four witnesses examined and had sought four weeks to complete the inquiry and submit his report.
This is the second time the Chief Secretary and DGP have moved the High Court seeking to quash the BRICS food scam proceedings.
A bench of the High Court in August last year, while declining to quash the proceedings had asked the GHRC to make it clear whether it recommends an inquiry or investigation and to specify the parameters.
Rodrigues complained that the contract for food for police personnel on BRICS duty was given for Rs 51, 60,000 but that the contract was sub-let to a road side contractor.
