New Delhi, Sept 02: Five days after reserving its order on CBI's plea for cancelling the interim bail granted to former judge Shameet Mukherjee in the DDA scam case, the Delhi High Court today said it would like to hear the accused before giving the verdict. Justice S K Agarwal, who had on august 28 "reserved" his order on CBI's plea for cancellation of Mukherjee's interim bail and the former judge's application for regular bail, fixed tomorrow to hear the accused. Justice Agarwal also asked the CBI to supply copies of statements of certain witnesses recorded by the probe agency which were referred to by its counsel A K Dutt during the course of arguments. The CBI has sought cancellation of former judge's bail accusing him of trying to tamper with evidence and influencing a prosecution witness through two advocates thereby violating interim bail conditions imposed on him by the court. He should be remanded back to judicial custody after cancelling his interim bail, it said. The CBI had on April 28 registered the case against Mukherjee, alleged middleman Dharamvir Khattar, builder Ravinder Taneja, sacked DDA vice chairman Subhash Sharma and suspended DDA employee Ashok Kapoor for criminal conspiracy and alleged abuse of official position.
Mukherjee, arrested on April 30 in DDA scam on charges of passing a judgement favourable to a hotelier in return for illegal gratification, was granted interim bail on May 5 on the humanitarian ground of his wife's illness.
Bureau Report