Thaindian News

New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) The Delhi district judge Friday adjourned, till Feb 21, hearing a corruption case in the 2010 Commonwealth Games referred to it from a special court after a lawyer for one of the accused doubted that his client would get a fair trial.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Talwant Singh Thursday adjourned the hearing and sought further directions from the district judge after lawyer Ramesh Gupta, appearing for Commonwealth Games Organising Committee’s former general secretary Lalit Bhanot raised doubts over getting a fair trial.

Taking up the matter, District Judge Sunita Gupta said: “It would be appropriate if Ramesh Gupta is heard in the matter.” It noted that Gupta was not available Friday and listed the matter for further hearing for Feb 21.

However, the judge sent the bail plea of an accused, Hyderabad-based A.K.R. Constructions CMD A. K. Reddy to the same court after Reddy’s counsel told court that he has complete faith in the trial court and his bail application must be heard there.

The court asked the special court to hear the bail argument on Feb 13.

Gupta had said that the public prosecutor and a policeman posted in the court kept entering the chamber of the judge off and on, which gave an impression to accused, advocates and the press that a fair trial was not being conducted.

Judge Singh said that allegation made by Gupta were false but refused to hold any proceedings till an order by the district judge to whom he sent the case file.

The special court was hearing a case against Bhanot and 10 others in a corruption case related to alleged financial irregularities in awarding a Rs.141 crore contract for the time scoring and records system for the mega sporting event.