PC, Navlakha, Ayodhya to dominate post-holiday SC

The hearing of the matters relating to former finance minister P. Chidambaram, left-wing activist Gautam Navlakha and Ayodhya dispute would dominate the hearing in the coming week after Supreme Court opens after week-long Dussehra holidays on October 14, 2019.

The top court will be hearing Mr Chidambaram’s plea for bail in NIX Media case being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The former finance minister is in judicial custody since September 5, 2019, after Special CBI Court sent him to 14 days judicial custody to Tihar Jail and the same has been extended since then.

Senior Congress leader has moved the top court challenging the Delhi high court’s order rejecting his plea for bail.

The matter is listed for hearing on October 15.

Mr Chidambaram is facing allegations of committing irregularities in the grant of foreign investment promotion board’s (FIPB) clearance to INX Media which received `305 crores against the approved overseas investment of `4.62 crores.

On October 15 itself, the top court would hear plea by left-wing activist Gautam Navlakha seeking quashing of FIR in Bhima Koregoan alleged violence case. Mr Navlakha — alleged to have links with outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) — is one of the accused in Bhima Koregoan case.

The week will also see the top court reserving its judgment on batch of petitions challenging September 30, 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict trifurcating the disputed 2.7 acres of land at Ayodhya.