Cash-at-judge’s door: Examination of defence witnesses concludes

The special CBI court has now closed the examination of defence witnesses in the case registered against Justice Nirmal Yadav (retired) of the Punjab and Haryana high court, who is facing trial for corruption in the infamous cash-at-judge’s door case

The special CBI court has now closed the examination of defence witnesses in the case registered against Justice Nirmal Yadav (retired) of the Punjab and Haryana high court, who is facing trial for corruption in the infamous cash-at-judge’s door case.

It has now advanced into the arguments phase, as the court plans to wind up the case within this month, as it is now under the 10-year old category.

It has now advanced into the arguments phase, as the court plans to wind up the case within this month, as it is now under the 10-year old category.

Special judge of CBI court, Jagjit Singh, had directed that defence evidence and examination of defence witnesses conclude between December 1 and December 2. However, one of the defence witnesses Ishwarpal Kaur, wife of accused Nirmal Singh, was not ready to appear citing ill-health. The accused was asked by court to get his wife for deposition and she appeared for her part examination on December 2.

She said she had an appointment at PGIMER on December 3 and couldn’t appear for her remaining examination. The matter was adjourned to December 5, when she said she could come to give her testimony. Meanwhile, the other defence witnesses were also not examined and an application was filed to substitute them with the ahmlad of the court.

On December 5, she didn’t appear and through her counsel filed an application stating that she was not well. The court noted that perusal of her attached OPD slip had no information related to her appointment on December 3 and it showed that some medicines have been prescribed, but nothing that will make ground for her to not appear in court.

The ahmlad to be examined was present in court on December 6, but the counsel said that documents to be produced by the witness are already on record. Kaur was given one last opportunity to appear before the court on and the defence evidence was closed on Wednesday.

Advocate for accused Rajeev Gupta, BS Riar, also filed an application requesting that timeline of the trial be adjusted as he had received multiple fractures on his right ankle and was operated in November while the court observed that there are three other counsels who are to argue for their accused and by then he would also get further rest and he may advance his arguments after them.

The case was registered in August 2008 under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Yadav and Delhi-based hotelier Ravinder Singh, along with former additional advocate general of Haryana Sanjiv Bansal (now deceased), Chandigarh-based businessman Rajiv Gupta, and one Nirmal Singh. In February 2017, the court abated proceedings against Bansal after his death.