Himachal high court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing for March 19 on a petition for seeking quashing of FIR registered against Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) and its president, BJP MP from Hamirpur, Anurag Thakur.
High court, on March 4, had asked vigilance bureau to submit the investigation report, but in absence of the senior counsel of the HPCA, the court deferred it to March 19.
Acting chief justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir passed this order on a petition filed by the HPCA and its president Anurag Thakur for seeking quashing of an FIR registered against the cricket body. The FIR in the case was registered by the Dharamshala office of vigilance bureau on August 1, 2013.
The court also asked the vigilance bureau to submit the probe report in a closed envelope as against the open submission adhered to by the department on Tuesday. It was contended in the petition that once the state government has withdrawn its decision of cancellation of lease deeds, no criminal action can be maintained.
It added that the FIR does not disclose any offence and Prevention of Corruption Act is not at all attracted as petitioners are not public servants. It was alleged that the registration of FIR is merely an attempt to grab control of HPCA. Petitioners have contended that the working of the HPCA does not come under the purview of the HP Society’s Registration Act, and the provision of this Act is not applicable to it, and moreover they have not committed any irregularity.
{{/usCountry}}It added that the FIR does not disclose any offence and Prevention of Corruption Act is not at all attracted as petitioners are not public servants. It was alleged that the registration of FIR is merely an attempt to grab control of HPCA. Petitioners have contended that the working of the HPCA does not come under the purview of the HP Society’s Registration Act, and the provision of this Act is not applicable to it, and moreover they have not committed any irregularity.
{{/usCountry}}High court on March 4 had directed state vigilance and anticorruption bureau to produce the latest investigation report in the cases against HPCA and its president Anurag Thakur.