HC orders CBI probe into sex scam

The court observed: ‘‘Having regard to the entire facts and circumstances including the statements of the respondents (girls) yesterday made before the judicial magistrates of Amritsar, which have been handed over to the office of this court, we are of the view that it is in the interest of all concerned (the police officials, bureaucrats, judiciary of the state of Punjab and all others who may be involved or having interest in any type) that the CBI should take over the investigation of the case…’’ The girls are the former employees of the Siti Cable network in Amritsar.

As the court proceedings started, Punjab Advocate General Harbhagwan Singh submitted that it was a fit case in which the investigations can be handed over to the CBI. The court ordered the Punjab DGP to ensure that the three girls are not harmed. The court, meanwhile, asked the media to always distinguish and clarify between the serving and retired judicial officers.

The Chief Justice asked the media to remain cautious after Rajbir Singh, counsel appearing on behalf of the Times of India, stated that the newspaper would like to tender an unconditional appology for carrying a news item that four judicial officers were involved in the scam and the paper did not have evidence to substantiate the allegations. He directed that the newspaper would publish the apology tomorrow. The Court further observed that media should abide by the guidelines prescribed by the Press Council of India (PCI).

Disposing the petition, Chief Justice observed: ‘‘We need to clarify to the media that there is a world of difference between the judges of the subordinate judiciary in office and judges who have retired. Those who are in the office are accountable to the High Court under Article 235 of the Constitution, wheras those who are not in office are not acountable to the High Court being not within the supervision and control… though are required to be dealt with like any ordinary citizen and booked under the penal laws of the country.’’

The court had moved suo motu on a report published in The Indian Express and had asked the newspaper in a communication to substantiate the allegations against the judicial officers.

Later, converting a letter from the Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) into a PIL, the court had impleaded The Indian Express, The Times of India, the CBI, three girls, State of Punjab through the Home Secretary and DGP as parties. The PHRO, which had unearthed the alleged scam and got an FIR registered, had alleged that the police had developed cold feet after the names of some serving and retired judges had surfaced during the investigations.

The Amritsar unit of the PHRO had submitted a complaint to the SSP Amritsar on May 22 alleging that serious allegations against the Siti Cable operators in Amritsar had been supressed for years.