NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has issued notices to the opposing parties including the CBI on state government's plea related to Vadakancherry Life Mission case. The court has given one month to respond to the notice. The court also issued notice on the plea filed by the government seeking a stay on CBI probe, but the probe has not been stayed.

Senior K V Viswanath, who appeared for the state government informed the court that it was a serious matter for central agencies to come to states for investigation without the permission of the government. Neither the government nor Life Mission has received foreign contribution to the project. The money was received by the contractors UNITAC. Therefore the government or Life Mission had not violated Foreign Contribution Control Act.

The allegation that officials accepted bribe is a matter coming under the purview of the Anti-Corruption Act. The state vigilance is investigating the matter. The CBI has to seek the permission of the government to investigate under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The government told the court that their claim was that there was public permission but it had been withdrawn.

Justice Hemant Gupta said money was received from abroad as it was a government scheme. Justice Ashok Bhushan said the CBI probe has just started and only once it is completed, it will be able to know whether any irregularities have taken place or not.