The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav and Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi on a petition filed by CBI seeking to declare a witness in the disproportionate assets case against them as hostile. A bench comprising justice K T Thomas, justice D P Mohapatra and justice K G Balakrishnan issued the notices on the CBI petition challenging the trial court order which had rejected the agency's plea. The agency then filed an application before the trial court for declaring Baleshwar Chaudhury hostile as well as seeking permission to cross-examine him. However, the trial court on August 24 last year rejected the application on the ground that the witness had proved some part of his statement recorded by the investigating officer. CBI's appeal against the trial court order in the High Court, which also rejected the appeal saying that CBI had sought to declare Chaudhury as hostile at a belated stage.
Bureau Report