Another witness retracts statement

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 20

In a setback to the prosecution, a witness retracted from his statement in the cash-at-judge’s-door case involving a retired Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge, Justice Nirmal Yadav, during resumed hearing in a special CBI court here today.

In a statement recorded before the CBI in September 2008, Udaibir Singh, a former personal security officer (PSO) of Justice Nirmal Yadav, had stated that he knew Ravinder Singh (businessman). When madam (Justice Nirmal Yadav) used to visit her house in Gurugram, Ravinder also used to come there, but he never came to visit madam in Chandigarh in his presence, Udaibir had stated. In case of Ravinder’s call, he used to inform her after she used to come out of meeting, the statement read. When he was confronted with this statement by Special CBI Prosecutor Anupam Gupta today, the PSO stated that he never made such statement.

In another statement recorded before the CBI in November 2008, he had stated that he had travelled with Justice Nirmal Yadav to Solan on more than five occasions between March and August in 2008. It was stated that Justice Nirmal Yadav had gone to see a piece of land she intended to purchase there.

When the special CBI prosecutor questioned him about his visits to Solan, he retracted from the statement. 

Out of nearly 81 witnesses in this case, nearly five have already turned hostile.

It may be mentioned here that the scam surfaced in August 2008 when Justice Nirmaljit Kaur called the police after a bag containing Rs 15 lakh was erroneously delivered at her house. The CBI had alleged that the money had been demanded by Justice Nirmal Yadav. The money was delivered by Parkash Ram, a clerk of advocate Sanjiv Bansal, the then Additional Advocate General, Haryana, on directions of Ravinder Singh.

The next date of hearing in the case has been fixed for August 3.