Satyam case: SC rejects plea challenging CLB order

The Supreme Court today dismissed a petition filed by an advocate challenging the refusal of Andhra Pradesh High Court to interfere with the order of the Company Law Board (CLB) facilitating takeover of the scam-tainted Satyam Computer Services and renaming it as Mahindra Satyam.

The high court had rejected the plea of the advocate, who claimed himself as the share-holder of Satyam, on the grounds of delay in challenging the February 19, 2009 order of the CLB.

When the appeal against the high court order was heard, Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium alleged before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan that advocate M L Sharma became the shareholder only after the CLB's decision.

Taking note of Subramanium's submission, the Bench said it was not inclined to entertain his petition.

"You were not the shareholder at the time of incident. Later you took some share and filed PIL. We will not allow this sort of PIL," the Bench, also comprising Justice B S Chauhan, said.

"We are not entertaining your petition," it said after which the advocate protested and wanted the Bench to condone the delay which was rejected by the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

At the outset, Sharma said he had gone to the Andhra Pradesh High Court after the Delhi High Court had declined to entertain his plea against the CLB order on the grounds of jurisdiction.