The approval given by Union Finance Minister to register a case against B. Srinivasa Gandhi, superintendent in GST Hyderabad office, was legal, the CBI said in Telangana High Court on Tuesday.
In a counter affidavit to Mr. Gandhi’s writ petition questioning the Union Minister’s approval for CBI investigation against him, the CBI authorities said the approval was justified. They said Mr. Gandhi claimed that he was a Group-B officer and Central Tax Commissioner was his disciplinary authority. Only the latter can approve a case of corruption against him under service rules, Mr. Gandhi stated in his petition.
It was a settled principle of law that an authority higher to the disciplinary authority can exercise the latter’s power. In Mr. Gandhi’s case, the Union Minister is a higher authority to Central Tax Commissioner and has the power to approve the investigation, the CBI officials said in the counter affidavit.
