Gujarat HC furious after SIT chief quits

The development propted the Gujarat High Court bench overseeing the case to come down heavily on the Union Home Ministry, which had suggested his name J V Ramudu, the IPS officer from Andhra Pradesh who was appointed to head the SIT, had sent a letter to the Home Ministry expressing his inability to accept the position as he had undergone a major surgery in May. The letter was produced before the court bench comprising Justices Jayant Patel and Abhilasha Kumari.

The court was furious to learn from MHA council Pankaj Champaneri that it was not aware of the surgery the officer had undergone when it had proposed his name during the last hearing. The council had informed the court that it had received permission from the AP government regarding the officer’s appointment as SIT chief.

The bench later issued an order asking the MHA to explain why it had proposed the name of an officer who was not available for investigation and whose consent had not been sought.

It had asked the Ministry to provide an explanation before August 4, failing which it said it would initiate contempt proceedings against the government.