Provident fund scam: SC despatches notices to UP, Centre

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on a petition seeking investigation into the provident fund scam in the state allegedly involving members of judiciary, including a sitting apex court judge.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan asked the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government’s Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home) to file their response by August 1 when the case would be taken up for further hearing.

The court was hearing a petition in which it was alleged that 26 members of judiciary, including an apex court judge, seven Allahabad High Court judge, six retired High Court judge and 12 judges from subordinate judiciary in the state, were beneficiary of crores of rupees allegedly withdrawn from the provident fund account of third and fourth-grade employees in Ghaziabad region between 2001 and 2008.