Court directs 3 excise officials to donate in Kerala CM relief fund

PANCHKULA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Monday directed three officials of the central excise, audit department (government of India), accused of taking bribe, to deposit Rs 15,000 each in the Kerala chief minister’s distress relief fund.

The order came following an application moved for cross-examination of two prosecution witnesses by the defense counsel.

In February 2017, the CBI arrested superintendents Anil Kumar and Ajay Singh, and inspector Ravinder Dahiya while accepting a bribe of Rs 3 lakh in Murthal, Sonepat.

The accused had moved an application in the court of special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh, seeking to recall prosecution witnesses Dalip Chand and Abhishek Kumar for their cross-examination.

The defense counsel had submitted that on May 25, 2018, crossexamination of the witnesses was deferred post-lunch session on account of a strike call given by Panchkula district bar association. It was also contended that the defense counsel was not allowed to enter the court.

“Cross-examination of both the witnesses was dispensed under the provisions of Section 309 of the code of criminal procedure (CrPC) as neither the accused nor their counsel was present to conduct cross-examination of the witnesses during post-lunch session. Since both the aforementioned prosecution witnesses are material witnesses, therefore, it would cause great prejudice to the accused if defence is not allowed to conduct cross-examination,” the court observed.

“Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case and in the interest of justice, present application stands allowed, subject to payment of Rs 15,000 each by the three accused, and the costs so imposed shall be deposited in the Kerala chief minister distress relief fund and receipt of such deposit shall be placed on record on or before next hearing,” the court order read.

The court also summoned Chand and Kumar for October 1 to record their cross-examination.