Rly scam: charge sheet unlikely by July 3
New Delhi: In the absence of sanction for prosecution against a Railway board member, CBI’s charge-sheet in the railway bribery scam, which cost Congress MP Pawan Kumar Bansal his job as Railway Minister, may not be filed within stipulated time till July 3. This may pave way for automatic bail for the 10 accused arrested in the case in the absence of the charge-sheet within mandatory period of 60 days from the day of the arrest. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, CBI Director Ranjit Sinha said, “We will try to file the charge-sheet. Our probe is still on.”
SC to hear TN plea on Cauvery Mgmt Board
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear Tamil Nadu Government’s plea for constitution of Cauvery Management Board for effective implementation of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal Award. A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir posted the hearing on the plea for July 13. The Centre had on February 20 notified final award of the Cauvery Waters Dispute Tribunal, six years after the order was passed by the tribunal.
2G: SC dismisses pleas of Essar, loop Telecom
New Delhi: The Supreme Court dismissed the pleas of Essar Teleholdings and loop Telecom challenging the special CBI court’s jurisdiction to hold trial against them and their officials in the 2G spectrum case. The telecom companies had demanded to be tried in a magisterial court as the charges against them were under provisions of IPC and not the Prevention of Corruption Act. Finding no merit in the plea, the SC paved the way for the prosecution of Essar Group promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia along with loop Telecom promoters and Essar Group Director Vikash Saraf under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.