Court dismisses Satyam case convicts' appeal

A city court here on Monday dismissed a petition by Satyam scam kingpin B. Ramalinga Raju and others challenging the verdict of a special court which sentenced them to seven years' imprisonment in the multi-crore-rupee accounting fraud.

The Metropolitan Sessions Court here dismissed the appeal on the ground that it is not maintainable.

The court ruled that it has no jurisdiction over the special court.

The judge, who had reserved the orders on the petition on April 15, pronounced it on Monday.

The accused challenged the special CBI court's verdict on the ground that it was not legally sustainable as the arguments of the defence were not considered. They also sought bail.

Ramalinga Raju and others are now likely to challenge the special court's verdict in the Hyderabad High Court.

Ramalinga Raju, former chairman of erstwhile Satyam Computer Services Limited (SCSL), his two brothers and seven others were found guilty in the case relating to the country's biggest accounting fraud, which came to light in 2009.

The special court on April 9 sentenced them to seven years' rigorous imprisonment. It also imposed a fine of Rs.5.5 crore each on Ramalinga Raju and one of his brothers, Rama Raju.

All the convicts are lodged in Cherlapally Central Prison here since April 9.