Court asks Delhi Police to arrest Bihar IAS officer

A Bihar court has directed the Delhi police to execute a non-bailable warrant issued 13 years ago against a senior Bihar-cadre IAS officer currently posted at the Centre. Avinash Kumar reports.

A Bihar court has directed the Delhi police to execute a non-bailable warrant issued 13 years ago against a senior Bihar-cadre IAS officer currently posted at the Centre.

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The court of Pranav Shankar, judicial magistrate, Bettiah, has written to the Delhi police chief to arrest Girish Shankar, who is posted as additional secretary in the ministry of tourism.

The case involves the loss of Rs.1.91 crore incurred by the Bihar exchequer when Shankar was managing director of the Bihar state sugar corporation, an official said.

The charge against him was the ‘mismanagement’ of molasses from the sugar corporation mills. A warrant was also issued against then general manager of the corporation, the AGM and the cane manager. But none of them were arrested.

Shankar had moved the high court and later, the Supreme Court, for quashing of the case. In 1994, the Supreme Court turned down his plea and asked him to appear in the lower court to answer the charges.

Shankar filed a plea in Patna high court, seeking exemption from personal appearance. In 1999, the court allowed it, but with a rider that he would make himself available whenever required.

In January 2000, the lower court directed Shankar to appear. When he failed to do so, the court issued a non-bailable warrant in June 2000.