Final arguments conclude in ‘cash-at-judge’s door’ case
Final arguments by prosecution and defence have concluded in the 17-year-old alleged cash at judge’s door case. After hearing of the rebuttal arguments by the prosecution on Friday, Alka Malik, Special Judge, CBI Court, adjourned the hearing in the case to February 19.
“It has been brought to the notice of the court that a petition under Section 528 of BNSS (Section 482 CrPC) filed on behalf of the CBI, is pending before the High Court at Chandigarh and same is fixed for February 17 hearing. On these premises proprietary demands that this court shall wait for the orders from the High Court. The proceedings are therefore adjourned to February 19 for awaiting orders, if any, from the HC. Accordingly, the orders shall be pronounced in this case thereafter,” says the court in the order.
The Chandigarh Police had registered the FIR in the case on August 16, 2008, on the complaint of Amrik Singh, peon working at the residence of Justice Nirmaljit Kaur. As per the FIR, one Parkash Ram came to the house of Justice Nirmaljit Kaur with a plastic bag on August 13 and informed the peon that the papers have come from Delhi to be delivered to Justice Kaur. Amrik Singh took the plastic bag inside. On being directed by Justice Kaur, Amrik Singh opened the bag in which currency notes were found. On being directed by Justice Kaur, the peon caught hold of Parkash Ram with the help of guard Gurvinder Singh. The local police were called who detained Parkash Ram. The case was initially investigated by the local police. Subsequently, it was referred to the CBI on August 26, 2008, by the then Governor of Punjab and UT Administrator.
On the completion of the probe, the CBI filed a closure report on December 17, 2009, before the Special Judge, CBI Court, as it failed to get sanction for prosecution in the case.
However, the Special Judge refused to accept the closure report vide his order dated March 26, 2010, and directed the CBI to conduct further investigation. The CBI carried out further investigation and approached the competent authority for grant of sanction for prosecution again.
The competent authority on March 1, 2011, granted the sanction for prosecution of Justice Nirmal Yadav. A chargesheet was presented in the court of Special Judge (CBI Court), Chandigarh, against Justice Nirmal Yadav and other accused persons, namely Sanjiv Bansal, Rajiv Gupta, Nirmal Singh and Ravinder Singh.
The CBI court framed the charges against the accused, including Justice Yadav in 2014 after her plea for stay on proceedings of the trial was dismissed by the Supreme Court. During the concluding arguments Vishal Garg Narwana, counsel for Justice Yadav, denied the allegations and claimed that she was falsely implicated in the case. Narwana said there was no evidences against Justice Yadav in the case. However, public prosecutor Narendra Singh argued that the prosecution has proved the case beyond a shadow of doubt.
