C’garh fights ED over choice of SC bench to hear PDS case

The ED plea seeks transfer of the trial outside the state, alleging many witnesses turned hostile after grant of anticipatory bail by HC to accused Anil Tuteja and Alok Shukla, who are close to the state government.

- Dhananjay Mahapatra

New Delhi: In an unprecedented tug-of-war for listing of a case before an “appropriate bench”, the Chhattisgarh government appears locked in an intense legal battle in the Supreme Court with the ED that is seeking transfer of the trial in the alleged multicrore Nagrik Apurti Nigam (PDS) scam accusing the state administration of protecting influential former IAS officers allegedly involved in the case.

The ED plea seeks transfer of the trial outside the state, alleging many witnesses turned hostile after grant of anticipatory bail by HC to accused Anil Tuteja and Alok Shukla, who are close to the state government.

New Delhi: The ED, in its case against Chhattisgarh government, has alleged that the CM, members of the SIT and a law officer of the state had allegedly weakened the case against two senior bureaucrats involved in the embezzlement of crores of rupees in the purchase and transportation of foodgrains.