Shillong, Apr 11: Keeping in view a petition seeking quashing of the criminal proceedings in the 2009 education job scam case, the Meghalaya High Court has asked the CBI court to adjourn further examination of witnesses in the case.
“This Court is not formally staying the trial but only requesting the learned Special Judge (CBI) at Shillong to adjourn further examination of witnesses for such period as he deems fit and proper to enable this court to conclude hearing of the said pending application and to pronounce judgment,” stated the order issued by the bench headed by Chief Justice IP Mukerji on Friday.
The accused had sought quashing of the criminal proceedings initiated among others, the state law minister, in the scam related to recruitment of school teachers.
Confirming that the court has started hearing the application, it said, “If this application succeeds then that would be the end of the trial. If it does not, the trial may continue.”
“In my view, there is no point in further continuance of the trial at this stage before disposal of this Section 482 application,” the chief justice stated.
Appearing for the accused, senior advocate Salman Khurshid continued his arguments but could not conclude the same, prompting the court to list the matter on 7 and 8 May or after exhaustion of the Division Bench matters, whichever is earlier.
The court had earlier observed that a large number of witnesses proposed to be produced for prosecution be suitably curtailed for a fair trial and for ends of justice.
“Of course, it goes without saying that such curtailment of witnesses would in no way sacrifice the sufficiency of proof to be adduced in this kind of a matter,” the bench stated.
The court was informed that the prosecution had decided to drop 317 out of 492 witnesses and to add six additional witnesses.
Earlier, 28 witnesses were examined by the court with the next date of trial fixed on May 5. In the circumstances, the trial is now ready to proceed.
