Vyapam Scam: MP High Court Stays Whistleblower & Wife’s Transfer

Madhya Pradesh High Court stays Vyapam Whistleblower Anand Rai and his wife Gauri’s transfer to Dhar district.

Photo: (ANI screengrab)

In an interim relief to one of Madhya Pradesh Vyapam Scam whistleblowers, Anand Rai, the MP High Court stayed his and his wife Gauri’s transfer orders to Dhar district, after hearing they challenged their respective transfers.

The MP government had recently transferred Anand to Dhar from a training institute, to which he was officially attached.

A division bench of the High Court said “the interim order passed on August 4 shall continue until further orders”.

The bench also directed the MP government to file a detailed reply on transfer orders of Rai and his physician- wife Gauri within two weeks, responding to their “specific allegation” that their transfers were “malafide”.

The court also directed the petitioners (Rai and Gauri) to file a counter reply about the short reply filed by the MP government on their transfers.

Appearing on behalf of petitioners, senior advocate Anand Mohan Mathur drew the attention of the High Court towards the provision of the Whistleblower Protection Act, 2011, which guarantees “necessary protection” to Rai and contended that the state government had acted in vendetta.

However, Additional Advocate General Sunil Jain defended the state government and argued that the couple’s transfer orders were done according to law.

Rai had challenged his transfer from the government training institute at Indore to Dhar as well as his wife’s transfer from Ujjain to Dhar.

The court has served notice to the state government which is returnable in two weeks.