Shillong, April 11: The High Court of Meghalaya wanted the Special Judge (CBI) to adjourn further examination of witnesses regarding the 2009 education scam to enable disposal of an application seeking quashing of the criminal proceedings.
The bench headed by Chief Justice IP Mukerji in its order passed on Friday said, “This Court is not formally staying the trial but only requesting the learned Special Judge (CBI) at Shillong to adjourn further examination of witnesses for such period as he deems fit and proper to enable this court to conclude hearing of the said pending application and to pronounce judgment.”
The accused under section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code has sought quashing of the criminal proceedings initiated amongst others, the Law Minister, accused in a school teacher’s recruitment scam.
“This Court has started hearing this application. If this application succeeds then that would be the end of the trial. If it does not, the trial may continue. In my view, there is no point in further continuance of the trial at this stage before disposal of this Section 482 application,” the bench said.
Salman Khurshid, Senior Advocate appearing for the accused in the section 482 CrPC continued his arguments but did not conclude.
“List these matters on 7th and 8th May, 2025 marked at 12.30 p.m. or after exhaustion of the Division Bench matters, whichever is earlier,” the bench said.
Regarding the court order on February 20 observing that a large number of witnesses proposed to be produced for the prosecution be suitably curtailed for a fair trial and for the ends of justice, the court said, “Of course, it goes without saying that such curtailment of witnesses would in no way sacrifice the sufficiency of proof to be adduced in this kind of a matter”.
The court was informed that the prosecution has decided to drop 317 out of 492 witnesses and to add six additional witnesses.
The court was told that this application has been allowed by the trial judge. Earlier, 28 witnesses have already been examined. The next date of trial is on May 5.
