PRAYAGRAJ, July 28 -- The Allahabad high court has observed that a trial court cannot direct an investigating agency, such as the CBI, to ensure that sanction for the prosecution of a public servant is obtained, as such a direction virtually amounts to directing the competent sanctioning authority to grant sanction, which is impermissible in law.

This observation was made by Justice Raj Beer Singh while allowing a quashing petition filed by former Saharanpur district magistrate Pawan Kumar, challenging an order of the special judge, CBI, Ghaziabad refusing to accept a CBI closure report and directing the agency to obtain prosecution sanction against him in connection with the alleged illegal renewal of sand mining leases in Saharanpur. ...