The court of the District and Sessions Judge in Panchkula is set to adjudicate a transfer application filed by advocate Ravinder Kumar. The application seeks to move cases against retired IAS officer Ashok Khemka and Ambala Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma from the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court to a competent court authorized to hear matters under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The next hearing is scheduled for June 4.
Background of the Case
On April 26, 2022, the police registered an FIR in Panchkula against Khemka for alleged fraudulent recruitment in the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation. The FIR was lodged under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
On the same day, a cross FIR was registered against Verma based on Khemka's complaint, alleging tampering with documents. Notably, the then Home Minister, Anil Vij, accompanied Khemka to the Panchkula police headquarters when the FIR against Verma was filed. Subsequently, the Prevention of Corruption Act was also invoked against Verma.
Post-Retirement Developments
Khemka retired on April 30, 2025. Following his retirement, the state government declined to grant ex post facto permission under Section 17A of the PC Act in both cases. Since the FIRs were registered without prior approval, the police sought retrospective sanction. Subsequently, closure reports were filed in both cases, but these reports have not yet been accepted by the court.
On May 30, Khemka filed a protest petition against the closure report, urging the court to order an investigation into what he claims is a false complaint lodged with malicious intent to register an FIR against him.
Transfer Application Arguments
In his transfer application, Ravinder Kumar, who is an accused alongside Verma, argued that Khemka failed to get the FIR quashed under Section 482 of the CrPC before the High Court. Kumar further contended that the matter of illegal appointments is under consideration in a Letters Patent Appeal before the High Court on the civil side and has no bearing on the criminal proceedings.
