SC suspends Chennai court verdict on Haribhaskaran

A two-judge vacation bench comprising Justice K T Thomas and Justice M B Shah today suspended the sentence and also granted interim bail to Haribhaskaran while disposing off his special leave petition against the Madras High Court order refusing him bail.

The Supreme Court, however, made it clear that if Haribhaskaran happened to prolong the hearing or appeal for which the high court had suggested a period of two months, it would be open to the state government to seek rescinding of today’s order.

The court earlier recorded a plea of additional solicitor-general Altaf Ahmed, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, that the high court itself had said that the appeal in the case would be heard in two months. Suspension of the sentence might lead to adoption of dilatory tactics by the petitioner.

The appeal of the petitioner against the judgement of the special court is already pending before the high court. The state government had also filed an appeal before the high court against the special court judgment acquitting Jayalalitha.

Besides Haribhaskaran and Selvaganapathy, two IAS officers — H M Pandey and M Sathiamoorthy — were among those sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment by the trial court.

The high court had interpreted that suspension of sentence and bail, under section 389 of the Criminal Procedure Code, called for restraint.