New Delhi: The Supreme Court has transfered trial in BJP leader Krishnananda Rai murder case, in which Mukhtar Ansari and his brother Afzal are main accused, from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.
A bench of justices H L Gokhale and Ranjan Gogoi shifted the trial on the plea of the deceased leader`s wife who had submitted that she has apprehensions with respect to her security while leading evidence.
"Considering the fact that the incident had happened way back in the year 2005 and the trial is still pending and also considering the apprehension of the petitioner, we allow this petition. Accordingly, the trial of the case is transferred from the Session Court, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, to the appropriate Session Court(CBI) in Delhi," the benhc said.
"The charge sheets and papers connected therewith arising out of the same FIR pending before Special Judicial Magistrate, Lucknow, shall also be transferred to the appropriate Session Court(CBI) in Delhi. We hereby direct the Session Court (CBI) in Delhi to take up the matter, preferably from the first week of August, 2013.
Rai was gunned down on November 29, 2005 in Ghazipur. Former Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari and his brother Mukhtar Ansari were arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident.
Earlier, the Allahabad High Court had directed a CBI inquiry in Rai`s murder.
Challenging the HC`s order, the state government had moved the Supreme Court which refused to allow its plea saying the case deserves to be investigated by the country`s premier investigating agency.
PTI
