Central Information Commission Judgements

Mr.Prodyut Kumar Roy Chowdhury vs Cbec on 30 May, 2011

Central Information Commission
Mr.Prodyut Kumar Roy Chowdhury vs Cbec on 30 May, 2011
                              Central Information Commission
                                2nd Floor, Room No. 305 B-Wing,
                                      August Kranti Bhawan
                                       Bhikaji Kama Place
                                            New Delhi
                                                                 Case No. CIC/AT/A/2010/000925/SS

        Name of Appellant                         :       Sh. Prodyut Kumar Roy Chowdhury
                                                                (The Appellant was present)



        Name of Respondent                        :       Central Excise Kolkata, Kolkata
                                                          (Represented by Sh. Bhabatosh 
                                                          Goswami, CPIO & Dy. Commissioner)


        The matter was heard on                   :       25.05.2011


                                                      ORDER

 

  Sh. Prodyut Kumar Roy Chowdhury, the Appellant, filed an RTI application dated 
8.07.2010 seeking the following information:­

“Copy of the letter forwarding the above Prosecution Sanction Order by Sri Tirthankar  
Dey, Inspector of Police CBI/ACB/Kolkata, sent to the Office of the Commissioner of  
Central Excise Kolkata­V Commissionerate, on the basis of which the above mentioned  
Prosecution   Sanction   Order   was   issued.     The   enclosures   accompanying   the   said  
forwarding letter may also be supplied.”

The CPIO denied the sought for information under Section 8(1)(e)(g)&(h) of the 
RTI   Act.     Aggrieved   with   the   reply,   the   Appellant   filed   an   appeal   before   the   First 
Appellate Authority (FAA).  The FAA, vide decision dated 23.08.2010 upheld the reply 
of the PIO, with following observation:­

“IT is evident that the desired information to all intents and purposes, rotates around the  
Prosecution sanction order forwarded by C.B.I. / ACB, Kolkata. The said document is  
confidential in nature and received by this office in the fiduciary relationship between the  
two Govt. Departments and cannot be disclosed.”

During   the   hearing   the   Appellant   submits   that   the   information   requested   has 
wrongly been denied to him and such information  is not exempted under any of the 
sections of the RTI Act. The Respondent on the other hand submits that the Appellant has 
sought   information   regarding   the   sanction   for   prosecution   in   a   CBI   case   and   the 
information relating to such cases may not be provided under the provisions of the RTI 
Act. 

After hearing the parties and on perusal of the relevant documents on the file, and 
also having regard to the facts and circumstance of the present case, the Commission 
deems it seek the comments of the  SP/CBI/ACB, to Kolkata. SP/CBI/ACB, Kolkata will 
offer his comments regarding the disclosure of information sought by the Appellant.  The 
matter will come up for hearing on 20.06.2011 at 2.30 p.m.  The comments will forwarded 
to the Commission at least 10 days before the date of hearing.

[

The matter is disposed of on the part of the Commission.

(Sushma Singh) 
                                                                          Information Commissioner 
30.05.2011

Authenticated true copy

(K. K. Sharma)
OSD & Asst.Registrar
 Copy to:

1. Sh. Prodyut Kumar Roy Chowdhury, Superintendent, Central Excise (T&R), Kolkata-VI,
Commissionerate, Bamboo Villa, 6th Floor, 169, A.J.C. Bose Road, Kolkata-700014

2. The Public Information Officer, Dy. Commissioner , Central Excise (T&R), Kolkata-VI,
Commissionerate, Bamboo Villa, 6th Floor, 169, A.J.C. Bose Road, Kolkata-700014

3. The Appellate Authority, Addl. Commissioner, Central Excise (T&R), Kolkata-VI,
Commissionerate, Bamboo Villa, 6th Floor, 169, A.J.C. Bose Road, Kolkata-700014