Andhra HC stays Satyam case trial for four weeks

Justice Narasimha Reddy ordered the stay after hearing a petition filed by Vadlamani Srinivas and G Ramakrishna, both accused in the Satyam Computer Services Ltd case, seeking a stay on the trial, the CBI counsel at the ACMM's court K Surender said.

"The High Court has given a stay on the trial for four weeks," Surender said.

There has been a stalemate about which court should try the case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Satyam case.

The Andhra Pradesh government had handed over the case to the CBI, which filed its charge sheet and named ten accused. However, simultaneously, the ED had also filed cases against Raju and other accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

As per PMLA's provisions under which the ED has filed a case, the trial should be conducted in a sessions judge court.

Currently, the Satyam case based on the case filed by the CBI is going on at the local Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has served notices to both the ED as well as the CBI.

The ED had sought the High Court's permission to file its charge sheet in the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court where the trial is currently going on.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court stayed the trial to avoid future complications, Surender said.