Challenge to my appnt is abuse of process of law, out of vendetta: Asthana
New Delhi: Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana has told the Delhi High Court that there is a sustained social media campaign against him and the legal challenge to his appointment as Delhi Police Commissioner was an abuse of process of law, arising from vendetta.
In his affidavit filed on a public interest litigation (PIL) against his appointment, Asthana said that ever since he was appointed Special Director, CBI, proceedings are being consistently filed against him by certain organisations as part of a selective campaign.
There are two organisations namely Common Cause and Centre for Public Interest Litigations who are professional public interest litigants and exist only for filing litigations as the only way of public service. One or two individuals run both the organisation enjoying deep and pervasive control over these organisations," the affidavit said.
"Individuals running them in recent past for some oblique and ostensible undisclosed reason have started barrage of selective actions against me either out of some vendetta about which I am not aware or at the behest of some individual/interest, it added.
This personal vendetta or a proxy war is projected under the PIL cloak, it said, adding that the Court may not allow such attempts using the august forum.
The affidavit further said: Not only the process of law was abused against the deponent, but in addition there was a sustained social media campaign which corroborates and justifies the apprehension of the deponent that the challenge to my appointment is the result of either some vendetta which is unknown to me or is being conducted at the behest of some undisclosed individual/ rival / interest.
The affidavit was filed in response to the PIL by Sadre Alam, a lawyer, who has sought quashing of the July 27 order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs appointing Asthana as the Delhi Police Commissioner as also the order granting inter-cadre deputation as well as extension of service to him just before his superannuation on July 31. Asthana said the merits and demerits of his appointment could only be dealt with by the central government.
The Centre has submitted that Asthana's appointment was done in public interest, keeping in mind the diverse law and order challenges faced by the national capital.
Defending the appointment, the Centre had told the Delhi High Court that the appointment of Asthana as the Delhi Police Commissioner was done in public interest, in light of the recent diverse law and order challenges, which not only have national security implications but also international/cross border implications. It added that the Capital needed someone with diverse policing experience with knowledge of workings of central probe agencies and paramilitary forces.
