New Delhi [India], December 10 : The Rouse Avenue court on Wednesday heard the concluding arguements on behalf of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in her pleas seeking the transfer of cases related to IRCTC hotel tenders and land for jobs. The court has listed the matter for hearing arguements on behalf of the CBI on Saturday.
Principal District and Session judge Dinesh Bhat, after hearing the senior counsel for Rabri Devi and other parties, listed the matter for hearing on December 13.
Rabri Devi has moved four pleas for the transfer of four matters linked with the IRCTC hotel corruption case and the Land for Job corruption cases pending before the special court.
Earlier on December 6, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, on behalf of Rabri Devi, submitted that the former Bihar CM has no faith in the court hearing the case. The manner in which the proceedings were conducted demonstrates bias. He had submitted that the biased observed, felt and suffered. Biased is deliberate.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh, alongwith with Ekta Vats, Varun Jain, had submitted that we are not against the charge here, we will challenge the same before the High Court.
The High Court earlier passed an order that no final order on the charge will be passed without hearing the accused persons on the point of sanction. Cognisance could not be taken because there was no sanction.
"We had moved an application that the court has no jurisdiction to take cognisance, and the same was kept pending. And charges framed against the applicant and others," the senior advocate had argued. "My (Rabri Devi) life cannot be decided by a particular point of view of a judge," he had added
Senior advocate had submitted that it was the duty of the judge not to curtail Rabri Devi's right. "Rabri Devi's right was curtailed by keeping my application pending," he said.
It was also submitted that during the strike, adjournments were given in other cases; I (Rabri Devi) was compelled to argue. What is special in this case?
"The court waited till the election began in Bihar to pronounce an order on the charge. The entire Lalu family was made to come to Delhi to attend the order on charge," the senior advocate submitted.
During the pronouncement, the Media were there. The court read all the charges to Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family. First in English, thereafter in Hindi, the charges were read over. It has larger ramifications, the senior advocate had submitted.
In normal practice, accused are not asked to be present during the order on charge. They are required to be present during the framing of charges, senior counsel added.
He further submitted that I, as Rabri Devi, don't expect a fair trial from the court. The court is not following the dictum of the Supreme Court, I have no faith. It was further argued that the dates are imposed upon the accused persons.
Senior counsel also submitted that if we don't have faith in the court, then there is no point in arguing.
"It is not a civil case; it is a criminal case, the only result is jail. I (Rabri Devi) will be convicted, will be sent to jail, I have no faith," the senior advocate said.
Senior advocate Sadan Farasat had argued on behalf of other Accused who are respondents in the transfer application. He submitted some additional points in addition to what senior advocate Maninder Singh said.
It was submitted that the manner in which the proceedings took place itself shows the bias.
Special public prosecutor (SPP) D P Singh, alongwith Manu Mishra, had appeared for the CBI.