The Supreme Court on April 20 directed the forthwith release of two senior IAS officers with the Uttar Pradesh administration, Shahid Manzar Abbas Rizvi and Sarayu Prasad Mishra, from judicial custody in a contempt of court case.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud, on an urgent mentioning by the Uttar Pradesh government, immediately stayed the Allahabad High Court order to initiate contempt action against the senior civil servants.
Mr. Rizvi is the State’s Principal Secretary (Finance) and Mr. Mishra is the Special Secretary (Finance).
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The court is likely to list the case on April 21. Meanwhile, it directed its registry to communicate the order to the Allahabad High Court and the authorities concerned without any delay. Additional Solicitor General K. M. Nataraj appeared for the State.
The apex court’s intervention has effectively stalled further proceedings against the officers in the Allahabad High Court.
The High Court had zeroed in on the two officers for non-compliance of its April 4 order concerning the improvement of facilities for retired High Court judges.
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