New Delhi, July 21: The Supreme Court today said it would examine next week as to why the trial in the Bofors payoff case be not heard expeditiously even as the Hinduja brothers sought extension of the apex court order allowing all of them to go abroad simultaneously. A bench, comprising Justice M B Shah and Justice AR Lakshmanan, adjourned to next week hearing of an application filed by the Hinduja brothers, which stated that they had complied with the court orders scrupulously and sought extension of the earlier order permitting them to go abroad. However, it took exception to the fact that the hearing of the case had been adjourned till August 27 even after the apex court had directed expeditious trial proceedings in the case.

Appearing for the Hindujas, senior advocates Ram Jethmalani and Kapil Sibal contended that their clients did not understand as to why they have been singled out for expeditious trial when other cases pertaining to graver offences have been pending for years. When CBI counsel A D N Rao and A Mariarputham pointed out that the trial was adjourned as the Delhi High Court had summoned the case records during the hearing of a petition filed by Hindujas challenging framing of charges against them, the bench wondered as to why the trial was to be adjourned during hearing of a petition in the high court.
Jethmalani said it was a high court order on a petition which the Hindujas under the law were entitled to move. The court, after some arguments, adjourned the case to next week.
Bureau Report