Chandigarh: Former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge Nirmal Yadav on Friday sought permanent exemption from appearing before the special CBI court in the 2008 cash-at-judge`s door case against her on health grounds.
Special CBI Judge Ritu Tagore granted her exemption for today while directing the prosecution to file its reply on Yadav`s plea on October 08.
In her first application Yadav sought a copy of the "complete charge" sheet filed by the CBI in the case as she claimed that she had not been provided the same "in totality". In two other applications she sought exemption from appearance in the case.
"She herself will be present in the court when her presence is imperatively needed," Garg contended adding that Yadav had crossed the age of 62 years and is not in a position to come from Gurgaon, where she resides, due to health reasons as she is a diabetic and suffering from hypertension. "The former judge has been facing humiliation, harassment and torture due to media trial in the case," the counsel pleaded.
However, the CBI strongly opposed her plea that she be granted permanent exemption from appearance in the court.
The defence also opposed the appointment of advocate Anupam Gupta as Special Public Prosecutor of the CBI expressing fear that he could not be impartial in the case.
During the previous hearing on August 27, Yadav appeared for the first time before the CBI Special Court and was granted bail after furnishing a bond. The case had rocked the Punjab and Haryana High Court after Rs 15 lakh was wrongly delivered at the residence of Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, another judge of the High Court in Chandigarh, on August 13, 2008 following which she reported the matter to the Chandigarh Police.
The money, allegedly meant for Justice Yadav, was said to have been delivered to Justice Kaur due to confusion over their names.
Later, Yadav was transferred as a judge of the Uttarakhand High Court.
PTI