After 11 years, court frames charges against Pune stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan

Khan pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court also allowed his lawyer, Prashant Patil, to sign the statement as Khan is bedridden and hospitalised. Patil also requested the court to expedite the trial stating that the case has been pending for a long time, causing hardship to his client.

Special Judge M G Deshpande directed the lawyer to go through the documents to expedite the trial. The court also directed the special public prosecutor Sanjana Sharma to provide copies to the accused. “ED shall note that long dates will not be kept in the matter, and they should bring their first witness as early as possible,” the court said.

Khan’s co-accused in the case, Kashinath Tapuriah, had passed away pending trial. Khan had approached the court seeking to expedite the trial. A petition was also filed by him before the Bombay High Court stating his medical condition and that may die without a fair trial.

A case was filed against Khan in 2007 and the chargesheet was filed in 2011. The draft charges in the case were submitted in 2018. Last month, the court issued a non-bailable warrant against Khan after he failed to remain present for multiple hearings.

A case was filed against Khan by the ED based on an investigation by the Income Tax department, which claimed that his income was Rs 1.1 lakh crore, and it was alleged that he had $8 billion in 2007 in the United Bank of Switzerland. It was subsequently claimed that the charge was made based on a letter written by the bank to Khan, which was later alleged to be forged. In his petition in the High Court, Khan had claimed that there was no evidence against him to frame charges.