Transfer of graft cases: SC notice to Badal, kin

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his family members...

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his family members on a petition filed by Congress leader Amarinder Singh seeking transfer of corruption cases against them outside the state to ensure a fair trial.

While seeking responses from Badal, his wife and other family members, a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, however, refused to stay the proceedings of the cases. “We are not staying the proceedings (before a court) in Punjab,” said the Bench. The cases against Badal and family were registered in 2003 by the previous Congress-led Government headed by Amarinder Singh.

Arguing for Amarinder Singh, senior advocate T R Andhyarjuna alleged that eversince Badal became the Chief Minister, there has been total subversion of justice and the atmosphere has been such that witnesses are turning hostile. Even public prosecutors have been changed and out of the 59 witnesses examined, a majority of them turned hostile.

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The prosecution has moved the application for examination of the investigating officer and for recording the statement of the accused, which is the penultimate stage of trial.

However, senior advocates K K Venugopal and Arun Jaitley, appearing for the Badal family, said the former chief minister had made the allegations due to political reasons. They sought to clarify that the Public Prosecutor was the same person who was appointed by the earlier government. Venugopal also pointed out that the former chief minister had appointed a special judge for all cases in Ropar in 2002.

Adani group chief Gautam Adani. The regulator made it clear that none of the charges in the show-cause notice could be proved. It also confirmed there was no violation of the Sebi Act concerning fraudulent or unfair trade practices.

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