Allahabad: A division bench of the Allahabad High Court today recused itself from hearing two petitions filed in connection with corruption charges levelled against former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.
The bench comprising Justice Amar Saran and Justice Surendra Singh recused itself from hearing the petitions filed by Singh and Kanpur resident Shivakant Tripathi observing that it was going to request the Chief Justice of the High Court to place the matter before another bench.
Singh was present in the court and was accompanied by lawyer and fellow Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani.
Later Singh remarked, "Justice delayed is justice denied. A false case has been filed against me and I have been defending myself for almost a year."
The two petitions, which had been clubbed together, included the one filed by Singh challenging an FIR lodged against him in Kanpur and the other by complainant Tripathi, who has sought the court`s directions to the Uttar Pradesh police for speedy completion of the investigation.
In his FIR dated October 15, 2009 lodged at Babupurwa police station in Kanpur, Tripathi had alleged that Singh had committed financial irregularities while the Samajwadi Party was in power in the state and he, besides being the then national general secretary of the party, was given the designation of Chairman of UP Development Council.
Singh has refuted the allegations saying that the post held by him was advisory in nature and that he did not have the power to award contracts to companies as alleged in the FIR.
Though the court did not accept his plea for quashing the FIR, it granted a stay on his arrest in December last year. This order has since been extended.
Both the petitions were being heard separately until September 20 last when they were clubbed together and posted for further hearing today.
PTI
