CIC tells PMO to hold ‘appropriate hearing’

DEHRADUN: Central information commission (CIC) has directed Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to conduct “fair and proper hearing” of the case of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi. The Commission has further directed the First Appellate Authority in PMO to give “due opportunity” to the officer for “proper adjudication”’ and to pass a “reasoned, speaking order”.

Sanjiv Chaturvedi was posted as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) at AIIMS, Delhi, from 2012 to 2014 and had taken action in many corruption cases. Presently he is posted as Chief Conservator of Forests, in Uttarakhand.

CIC in its judgement, passed on February 12 has given time of 30 days for compliance of its orders from the date of receipt.

The matter pertains to an RTI application filed by Sanjiv Chaturvedi in September 2022, in which he had sought a copy of the file notings and other documents from PMO, regarding action taken on his letter dated September 26 2014, to Prime Minister about the role JP Nadda, in the episode of corruption cases of AIIMS, Delhi, “including numerous letters written by him for putting on hold all the enquiries into corruption/ other cases and his repeated insistence regarding removal of CVO, AIIMS”.

Chief Information Commissioner Heeralal Samariya, while disposing of the appeal, in his February 12 order stated, “In view of the proceedings during hearing and submissions made by the parties, Commission finds it just and reasonable, in accordance with principle of natural justice, that a fair and proper hearing is conducted”.