Anshu Prakash assault case: Delhi HC tells state Assembly panel not to insist on chief secretary's appearance before it

New Delhi: In a breather for Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, the Delhi High Court on Thursday asked a Delhi Assembly committee not to insist on his appearance. [caption id=“attachment_4367901” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash. PTI[/caption] Justice Rajiv Shakdher directed the Question and Reference Committee not to insist Prakash’s appearance till 11 April, the next date fixed for hearing. Prakash has challenged the notice issued by the Committee which had asked him to appear before it on Thursday. The counsel told the court that the notice was issued although a stay had been granted by the high court in the Chief Secretary’s main petition challenging the notice issued by the House’s Privileges Committee. On 5 March, the committee had assured the court that it would not take any coercive action against the Chief Secretary. Prakash had challenged the Privileges Committee notice directing him to appear before it for skipping a meeting on 20 February, a day after he was allegedly assaulted by two AAP MLAs Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal, who are currently in judicial custody. Prakash also did not attend the subsequent meetings on 21 and 23 February, following which the notice was issued on 1 March. The officer had sought quashing of the notice issued to him by the committee and said he had a right to free and fair investigation.