New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS): The senior standing counsel (criminal) of the Delhi government, Rahul Mehra, on Wednesday refused to give his consent for initiating contempt action against CBI DIG Raghavendra Vats, who has been accused of beating a CBI prosecutor.

"I have carefully perused your application along with the annexures and I am of the view that the averments made in the application do not, for now, amount to criminal contempt as per Section 2 (c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971," said Mehra in response to a letter written by advocate Amit Sahni.

Sahni had written to the standing counsel seeking intervention in the matter and initiation of contempt proceedings against CBI DIG Raghavendra Vats, who has been accused of beating a CBI prosecutor.

In his response, Mehra said that a bare perusal of the application reveals that the applicant has already initiated criminal proceedings against the proposed respondent by filing a criminal complaint in the Lodhi Road police station for assault and the inquiry into the said complaint has commenced.

Moreover, the trial court where the case is pending trial has also taken serious note of the matter and has summoned the proposed respondent to appear in person before it. In addition to the aforesaid actions, a fact finding enquiry has also been ordered by the CBI.

"Therefore, in my opinion, it is not fit to grant my consent for initiating criminal contempt proceeding under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 in view of the facts and circumstances presented in the subject application," the standing counsel said.

Earlier this year, a CBI prosecutor had told a Delhi court that he was "punched and strangulated" by a DIG-rank officer of the investigating agency inside the CBI headquarters, allegedly over the delay in framing of charges against Rajendra Kumar, former Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

CBI prosecutor Sunil Kumar Verma had accused DIG Vats of assaulting him inside his office on October 9 at around 10.30 am.