In a major setback to the Naveen Patnaik Government, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday clarified that the graft case proceeding against Odisha IPS officer Prakash Mishra shall not be an impediment for him becoming the CBI director. The High Court also extended the interim protection it had granted to Mr. Mishra on October 13 for an indefinite period thereby, restraining the Odisha government from taking any coercive action against the 1977-batch officer, who is now working as special secretary (internal security) in Union Home Ministry.
Disposing of a miscellaneous petition filed by Mr. Mishra, in which it was contested that the untimely vigilance salvo against him was aimed at stalling his prospects to be the next CBI director, the single-judge bench of Justice S. C. Parija granted a major relief to the IPS officer.
