SC upholds Rao’s acquittal in Kitts case

The Bench said there was no merit in the CBI petition and "we are not inclined to intervene in the High Court order."

The High Court while upholding discharge of Rao and Tewari, had said there was no evidence on record to show that they were involved in the alleged conspiracy.

Special CBI court of Additional Sessions Judge Ajit Bharihoke had discharged Rao and Tewari in 1996 from the case at the time of framing of charges on the ground that the prosecution had failed to produce sufficient evidence against them.

He, however, had framed charges against controversial godman Chandraswamy and his secretary Kailash Nath Agarwal alias Mamaji, the two other accused in the case, after finding prima facie evidence for their trial.

The case relates to alleged forging of certain bank documents by the accused to show that former prime minister V P Singh’s son Ajeya Singh had opened an account in First Trust Corporation of St Kitts Island in September 1986 and deposited $21 million in it.

The investigating agency had alleged that the documents were fabricated by Chandraswamy and his aide Agarwal with the intention of tarnishing the image of V P Singh.

CBI had alleged that Rao, as External Affairs Minister in the Rajiv Gandhi Government had attested the documents as genuine following which details of the purported account was published in newspapers.

The High Court had stated that there was no evidence to show that when Rao apended his signature on the paper to attest them, he had the knowledge that they were forged.

The allegation against Tewary was that he as Minister of State for External Affairs had helped in preparing a photocopy of V P Singh’s passport which was deposited with the authorities after he got a diplomatic passport, for using it in the alleged conspiracy.

However, the High Court had cleared Tewary of the charges saying that there was no evidence about the involvement of the former minister.

The trial against Chandraswamy and his aide currently going on in the Special CBI court is at the stage of recording of evidence.