Hyderabad: In a significant development with regard to the Agri Gold Group of Companies scam, the AP state government on Wednesday informed the Hyderabad High Court that it was prepared to hand over the investigation to the CBI.
The High Court made it clear that though the case may be handed over to the CBI by both AP and TS, the auction of properties which has been going on under its supervision, will continue. The court noted that the Karnataka government has already handed over the cases against Agri Gold to the CBI.
A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with a petition by the Telangana Agri Gold customers and Agents’ Welfare Association, represented by its president A. Ramesh Babu of the city, seeking a probe either by the CBI or Enforcement Directorate into the deposits scam.
The cases against Agri Gold in AP and TS are currently being investigated by the CID of the states concerned. While hearing the plea, the bench asked AP advocate-general D. Srinivas about the status of the investigation.
The AG told the bench that the AP government was prepared to hand over the case to the CBI, but it was worried that the delay that may be caused due to this could affect the interests of the depositors.
The bench told the AG to place the written proceedings with regard to handing over the case to the CBI before the court. The bench also sought the response of TS over handing the case over to the CBI.
While commencing the hearing, the bench asked counsel representing Agri Gold whether its order to deposit the Rs 25 lakh with the registry had been complied with. When counsel replied in the negative and tried place some proposal of transferring the company shares in the name of depositors, the bench expressed its disapproval at this and pointed that out since the beginning, the company management was trying to mislead the court by furnishing false information and was also avoiding extending cooperation to the committee set up to oversee the auction. The bench adjourned the case to next Tuesday.
Hyderabad HC summons KU Vice-Chancellor
The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday ordered the in-charge Vice-Chancellor of Kakatiya University to appear before the court and personally explain the reasons for not implementing its order.
A division bench comprising Acing Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao was dealing with a contempt case by one V. Naina alleging that though the High Court and Supreme Court directed the university to complete the process of selection to the posts of Assistant Professors, the authorities failed to do so.
She brought to the notice of the court that the judgment was delivered in May 2015 and though a year has elapsed, nothing has been done.
Counsel appearing for the varsity submitted that the government has not made any appointments and there was no quorum for the executive council to meet and finalise the selections.
Telangana advocates try to burn effigies, held
Several advocates were taken into police custody at Criminal Court Complex at Nampally and Ranga Reddy district court complex at LB Nagar in the city on Wednesday when they tried to burn an effigy of Andhra judges, demanding immediate bifurcation of the common High Court and recall of the list of provisional allocation of subordinate judicial officers between TS and AP.
As part of their ongoing stir to boycott all subordinate courts across the state, T-advocates gathered in front of the courts at Nampally and LB Nagar and tried to burn the effigies of Andhra judges.
The police intervened and this resulted in minor scuffles between the cops and lawyers. The protesters were taken into custody and shifted to police stations.
However, protesting advocated did manage to burn effigies in various districts across the state.
Meanwhile, an extraordinary general body meeting of Telangana High Court Advocates’ Association was held at the High Court on Wednesday.
The meeting resolved to boycott the High Court on July 1, demanding separate high courts for TS and AP and recall of the provisional list allocating subordinate judicial officers between the two states. The meeting, while condemning the arrest of the lawyers at the Nampally and RR courts, demanded their immediate release.
