Srinagar, July 14 -- "The principle of natural justice dictates that all parties involved in a legal proceeding should be treated equally and fairly," the Special Judge Anti- Corruption Surinder Singh said while discharging Deedar Singh, a public servant working in KVIB, and Nasir Ahmad who retired since, in a 2011 case.

"In essence, the invalidity of sanction, once established, acts as a bar to take cognizance and prosecute all those implicated in the case, unless a fresh and valid sanction order from the appropriate authority which is a mandatory requirement before a court can take cognizance of the offence, is obtained," the court said.

The court's order followed submissions by advocate F A Bhat, counsel for accused, that the governm...