Anushka Mansharamani
On 5th January, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) urged the High Court of Delhi to grant permission to inspect a foreign national, C. Edmond Allen who could be related to the forgery case against Abhishek Verma, controversial arms dealer.
The CBI challenged the trial court order that was passed on 23rd October 2020 by filing an application for permission to examine C. Edmond Allen through online video conferencing which was denied earlier.
Justice Yogesh Khanna listed the matter for hearing on 27th January.
Subsequently, Abhishek Verma’s counsel opposed the plea stating that the petition filed is not maintainable.
The counsel stated this with regards to the earlier order that was passed by which the trial should have been completed within one year and as the time collapsed in 2019.
Abhishek Verma’s counsel further submitted that the CBI failed to present the witness at four occasions and also failed to make him appear before the trial court.
The matter was then fixed for final arguments, but the CBI filed the present application.
The court observed that as the trial time fixed earlier had expired, the examination would be allowed after the start of the trial.
The respondents would be given a chance to summon witnesses and additional statements would have to be recorded again as per Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
At this junction, the counsel for the CBI sough time to seek instruction in case they would need to apply for an extension of the time of the trial.
Abhishek Verma’s counsel sought to file all documents including the recorded additional documents.
This case was lodged by the CBI after the former Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken had filed a complaint alleging that a forged letter on his letterhead was written to the Prime Minister by businessman Abhishek Verma seeking an easing of business visa norms in 2009.
Charge sheet was filed against Verma and others under the Indian Penal Code for an attempt to cheat under the Prevention and Corruption Act.
The CBI also alleged that Jagdish Tytler, Congress leader was actively involved with Verma and that he had presented a fake letter to the company’s officials by claiming that those were written by Ajay Maken to the Prime Minister.
