Patna, (Bihar Times): A three-member Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and D K Jain on Monday deferred the hearing on the special leave petitions filed by Railway Minister Lalu Yadav and his spouse and former Bihar chief minister, Rabri Devi, challenging the Patna High Court’s decision to hear the Bihar government’s plea against their acquittal in a disproportionate assets case.

The apex court also adjourned the hearing on a similar SLP filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation against the same order. The Chief Justice told Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi’s counsel, Ram Jethmalani, that the appeal had not yet been admitted and the High Court had only issued notice on the appeal filed by the government.

The apex could hear the matter only after the appeal was admitted. The Court said “We are not dismissing your petitions. We will adjourn the matter and we will wait for the High Court decision.”

Pleading his case Mr Jethmalani said the Patna High Court had no jurisdiction to issue the notice. It needs to be recalled that on December 18, 2006, Special CBI judge Muni Lal Paswan acquitted Lalu and his wife in the case in which it was alleged that they amassed assets worth Rs 42 lakh beyond the known sources of income when the RJD chief was the chief minister between 1990 and 1996.

Comment