CBI prosecutor says accused indulging in myth-making

While Ravinder Singh has maintained that he had got delivered Rs 15 lakh to Yadav for the Solan land deal,Justice Nirmal Yadav has clearly denied the incidents of August 13 and 14,2008 (the day the money was delivered at her residence).

Also,Ravinder claims that the money (15 lakhs) was his share for the purchase of land in Solan,Himachal Pradesh.

In stark contradiction to his stand,Nirmal Yadav counters this claim,saying that since the purchase price of land was Rs 5.5 lakh,the share of each co-purchaser (18 of them) was only Rs 30,666.

Adding to the contradictions is the stand taken by co-accused lawyer Sanjiv Bansal. He has also submitted that he had got 15 lakhs delivered at the residence of Justice Yadav on the morning of August 14,2008 at the request of Ravinder Singh.

Arguing on behalf of Yadav,her counsel,S K Garg Narwana,said,“I cannot admit or deny anything at this stage. Can I say anything about the receipt of 15 lakhs? No.”

Garg added that even if it is assumed that the money was delivered,“what is the offence?”. He quickly added that his words should not be taken as “admission”.

Blaming the media for carrying out a trial against Justice Yadav,the counsel submitted that this “evil should be buried immediately”.

Garg had to field a volley of questions from special CBI Judge Vimal Kumar when he (Garg) raised eyebrows over the grant of sanction to prosecute Yadav.

The counsel claimed that the CBI had sought sanction on April 6,2010 and that the then Chief Justice of India (CJI) had declined sanction to prosecute Yadav on May 11,2010.

He alleged that a significant record has been suppressed by the CBI. Strongly rebutting this,CBI special public prosecutor Anupam Gupta said,“I take strong exception to this insinuation. This is nothing but myth-making”.

Gupta said that the sanction to prosecute Yadav was sought on June 16,2010 and not prior to it.

The CBI prosecutor asserted that there is “no question” of CBI concealing any information. Moreover,Gupta added,that these are the files of the central government and not those of the CBI.

Referring to the official record,the special CBI Judge also remarked that it will be “incorrect” to suggest that there is any order of the Chief Justice of India denying sanction to prosecute Yadav.

Earlier,Gupta concluded his arguments on Saturday. Seeking discharge from the case,counsel for Ravinder Singh argued that it will be a “futile” trial. He went on to argue that the CBI has created two Ravinder Singhs by claiming that Ravinder Singh was a dummy purchaser in the Solan land deal.

The special CBI Judge Vimal Kumar will pronounce orders,on July 31,on whether to frame charges against Justice Yadav and co accused.