Hc Issues Notices To Scindia, Arjun And Dhawan

The Delhi High Court yesterday issued notices to former Union ministers Madhav Rao Scindia, Arjun Singh, N D Tiwari and R K Dhawan on a petition by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the decision of the trial court to discharge them from the Rs 65 crore hawala case.

Justice Jaspal Singh asked the respondents to reply to the CBI revision petition by November 10 and listed it for hearing alongwith the appeal filed by the agency against the discharge of former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana.

Janata Dal president Sharad Yadavs appeal against the trial courts decision to frame charges against him would also come for hearing on the same date.

The petition moved under section 397 and 401 of the criminal procedure code seeks to set aside the May 28 order of special judge V B Gupta; discharging the four Congress leaders and three Jain brothers - S K Jain, B R Jain, N K Jain and their manager J K Jain.

In the 329 page petition, the investigating agency said there is abundant material which prima facie establishes that the respondents were involved in a criminal conspiracy to pay and accept bribes for influencing decisions.

The petition said the special judge erred in holding that there was no legal evidence. For framing of charges only prima facie case is required to be made out against the respondents, it said.