Court wonders how Abhay Chautala went to attend Rio Olympics

Abhay is facing trial in a disproportionate assets case

A special court has wondered how Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief O P Chautala's son Abhay, who is facing trial in a disproportionate assets case, has gone abroad to attend the Rio Olympics without seeking its permission.

The issue came up when during a recent hearing, Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Judge Sanjay Garg-I was informed that Abhay Chautala was absent as he, being a sports administrator and former President of Indian Olympic Association, has gone to attend the Rio Olympics from August 2 to 25.

His counsel moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance of the politician and said that there was no specific condition imposed by the court in the bail order regarding seeking its permission for going out of country.

The court, however, said,"No specific permission has been sought by this accused from this court to go abroad. Counsel for accused submits that since there is no specific condition regarding seeking permission from the court for going abroad in the bail order due to this reason no permission was taken from this court."

CBI prosecutor Ajay Kumar Gupta sought time to argue on this aspect after which the court has fixed the matter for August 17 for further proceedings.

The CBI had registered a case of disproportionate assets against INLD chief and former Haryana Chief Minister O P Chautala and his sons Ajay and Abhay on a complaint of Congress leader Shamsher Singh Surjewala.

Chautala and Ajay were sentenced to ten years jail term early this year by high court in the 1999-2000 junior teacher recruitment scam.

CBI had on March 26, 2010, charge sheeted Chautala, indicting him for allegedly possessing assets worth Rs 6.09 crore, far exceeding his legal income between 1993 and 2006. Two such cases are going on against his sons, Ajay and Abhay.

In its charge sheet, the CBI had alleged that Chautala's wealth was 189 per cent more than his income of Rs 3.22 crore during the period.

Abhay allegedly owned assets worth over five times his income of Rs 22.89 crore as per income tax records during the 2000-2005 period. The agency claimed to have found Rs 119.69 crore worth of assets.

The CBI had also said that Ajay was possessing assets exceeding his legal income by 339.27 per cent. His legal income between May 1993 and May 2006 was Rs 8.17 crore, but he had acquired assets worth Rs 27.7 crore, it had alleged.

Earlier, all the three cases, being heard in different courts, were transferred to one court on CBI's plea that these cases be put up before a single judge as trials in different courts would lead to inordinate delay in concluding them.

All these charges have been denied by Chautala and his sons.