<p>New Delhi: In a relief to K M Abraham, a former IAS officer and the chief principal secretary of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed a High Court order to the CBI to file an FIR and start probe against him in connection with a disproportionate assets case.</p><p>"We stay the Kerala High Court order," Justices Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan said.</p>.CM''s Principal Secretary K M Abraham should step down, demands V D Satheesan.<p>The court also issued notice to the CBI, Kerala government and the complainant-activist Jomon Puthenpurackal, after hearing appeal filed by Abraham. Senior advocate R Basant for Abraham contended that an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act cannot be registered without the mandatory sanction under Section 17A of the law.Acting on a petition by Puthenpurackal, the Kerala High Court ordered the CBI to file an FIR and start probe against Abraham in connection with the disproportionate assets case.</p><p>Holding that the CBI probe was necessary, the HC had said since Abraham had held a Cabinet rank, an investigation by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau would not instill public confidence. The High Court also said that the vigilance, while conducting a preliminary inquiry, into the property of Abraham, had deliberately excluded the acquisition of his asets and reduced the substantial value of his assets, with the intent to protect him.</p><p>Earlier, a special court at Thiruvananthapuram had rejected the complainant's plea for a probe into the allegations of disproportionate assets against Abraham, citing lack of evidence. </p>
<p>New Delhi: In a relief to K M Abraham, a former IAS officer and the chief principal secretary of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed a High Court order to the CBI to file an FIR and start probe against him in connection with a disproportionate assets case.</p><p>"We stay the Kerala High Court order," Justices Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan said.</p>.CM''s Principal Secretary K M Abraham should step down, demands V D Satheesan.<p>The court also issued notice to the CBI, Kerala government and the complainant-activist Jomon Puthenpurackal, after hearing appeal filed by Abraham. Senior advocate R Basant for Abraham contended that an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act cannot be registered without the mandatory sanction under Section 17A of the law.Acting on a petition by Puthenpurackal, the Kerala High Court ordered the CBI to file an FIR and start probe against Abraham in connection with the disproportionate assets case.</p><p>Holding that the CBI probe was necessary, the HC had said since Abraham had held a Cabinet rank, an investigation by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau would not instill public confidence. The High Court also said that the vigilance, while conducting a preliminary inquiry, into the property of Abraham, had deliberately excluded the acquisition of his asets and reduced the substantial value of his assets, with the intent to protect him.</p><p>Earlier, a special court at Thiruvananthapuram had rejected the complainant's plea for a probe into the allegations of disproportionate assets against Abraham, citing lack of evidence. </p>