Allahabad HC withdraws adverse remarks made against Lokayukta

The Allahabad High Court has withdrawn adverse remarks against the Lokayukta and replaced the Lokayukta's name with the Up-Lokayukta in a case involving alleged government fund misuse.

The Allahabad High Court has withdrawn the adverse remarks made against the Lokayukta in its March 16 order in connection with a case involving the alleged misuse of government funds.

The Lucknow bench of the court, in its order on Tuesday, also directed that the Lokayukta's name be deleted from the array of opposite parties and replaced with that of the Up-Lokayukta.

The order was passed by a bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh on a public interest litigation (PIL) matter filed by Mohammad Salim.

According to the petition, while posted in Lakhimpur Kheri, Gram Vikas Adhikari Ahmad Hasan had allegedly transferred Rs 6,02,995 of government funds to the account of Class-4 employee Furqan Ali.

After an inquiry, Hasan was awarded departmental punishment on June 8, 2020, including the stoppage of an increment and an adverse entry in his service record.

The petitioner had contended that the minor punishment had emboldened the official and on April 10, 2023, he again transferred Rs 95,94,015 of government funds to Ali's personal account.

It was alleged that no action was taken in the second instance, following which a complaint was filed before the Lokayukta.

The complaint was later transferred to the Up-Lokayukta, which closed it observing that the gram vikas adhikari was already departmentally punished in a similar matter earlier.

Taking note of the allegations, the high court on March 16 expressed surprise and sought responses from the Uttar Pradesh government, the Lokayukta and other opposite parties.

In compliance with the earlier order, replies were filed by the state government, the Lokayukta and other respondents.

In its response, the Lokayukta had clarified that the order relating to Ali was not passed by it but by the Up-Lokayukta.

It was submitted that the observations made against the Lokayukta in the March 16 order were therefore unwarranted and liable to be recalled.

After considering the submissions, the bench withdrew the remarks made in its earlier order. The matter has now been listed for further hearing on July 10.