"Lackadaisical approach:" Delhi High Court pulls up Centre for delay in filing counter

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday lamented the Centre's lackadaisical approach in complying with the Court's earlier orders to file their response in a case concerning "serious allegations against government officers." (Harvir Singh vs CBI).The Court has now called on the Central government to give reasons for the delay in filing a counter that was due since March 2021. .Further, Justice Subramonium Prasad has ordered the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Culture to join the court proceedings on the next date of hearing to explain why a status report called for by the Court has not been filed. .The Court observed that despite a series of adjournments and time having been given to the Centre to file the status report, the same had not been filed.."This Court is aware of that it is not proper to summons Senior Officers to the Court. But at the same time the Government cannot show a lackadaisical approach to the orders of the Court and disobey orders of this Court", the Court said in its order..Addressing the Central government's counsel, Justice Prasad also orally remarked, "Mr. Shankar, we have all been lawyers. Most of us have represented the State at some point. There is absolutely no reason that the affidavit hasn't been filed this March! It's October now." .The matter is listed for further hearing on November 10..The hearing on Tuesday saw the Judge mince no words in pulling up the Central government for the delay noticed so far. ."This is the attitude of the Government? To ignore Court orders? This is a complete lackadaisical approach", Justice Prasad said. .The Court also expressed categorically that it has not accepted the apology tendered on behalf of the Central government by its standing counsel at this stage..Appearing on behalf of the Central Government, standing counsel Shankar reasoned that the delay in filing the counter had occurred due to a technical difficulty. He also mentioned that the counter had been filed yesterday. The Judge, however, was not impressed by these submissions. .On the last date of hearing as well, the Court had noticed that no one had showed up from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The Judge had expressed anguish earlier as well over this state of affairs..The petitioner, Harvir Singh, represented by advocate Mishal Johri, has moved the High Court seeking directions to the Central government to conduct a proper and fair investigation in an alleged corruption scandal..The plea stated that the accused government officers were liable for offences under Section 120B (conspiracy) read with Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as provisions of the Prevention of Corruption of Act..The Central Government's standing counsel Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar and Special Public Prosecutor Prasanta Varma had appeared for the Union of India and the CBI respectively..[Read Order]