Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court on Friday
turned down the petitions of six former judges, three of whom
retired from the High Court, challenging the summonses issued
to them by a CBI court in the multi-crore PF scam for
appearing before it.
The order was passed by Justice Arun Tandon on the
writ petitions filed by Justices (Retd) R N Mishra, R P Mishra
and A K Singh and retired judges Radhe Shyam Chaubey, Arun
Kumar and R P Yadav.
The petitioners, who had in the past held the post of
District Judge or Additional District Judge, were asked by the
CBI court in Ghaziabad on December 22 last year to appear in
person on January 30, 2011.
Justice Mishra, who had retired as a judge of the High
Court in 2009, filed a petition on January 18 challenging the
summons on the ground that the CBI judge was himself a witness
in the case and hence he should not have passed an order in
this connection.
Later, the other five ex-judges moved the court with
similar petitions all of which were clubbed together by the
court.
The High Court, while rejecting the pleas, however,
said that those who wanted exemption from personal appearance
in the case could move an application before the CBI court in
this regard.
Summonses were issued to more than 20 persons in
connection with the PF scam which involves alleged fraudulent
withdrawal of crores of rupees, between 2001 and 2008, from
Provident Funds of employees posted at Ghaziabad district
court.
The CBI filed a charge sheet against 78 people in the
case including the six former judges.
PTI
