Allahabad high court stays coercive action against Randeep Singh Surjewala

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala has challenged the trial court’s order, which rejected his plea for legible documents, including the charge sheet, in a 23-year-old case of damage to public property

The Allahabad high court has stayed coercive action against Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala till the disposal of his application before a Varanasi court to provide him with legible documents, including the charge sheet, in a 23-year-old case of damage to public property during a protest.

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala. (ANI PHOTO)

Justice Raj Beer Singh of the Allahabad high court passed the order on July 12 in a petition filed by Randeep Singh Surjewala who has challenged the trial court’s order rejecting his plea for legible and readable documents along with the charge sheet filed in the trial.

As per the orders of the trial court, the legible copies of the charge sheet, along with all documents forming part of it, had been supplied to him. However, it was Surjewala’s case before the high court that the copies of several documents supplied by the trial court were not legible.

During the hearing, the counsel for Surjewala referred to copies of certain documents annexed with the petition and pointed out that the same were not legible.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that the apex court, on April 17, directed the trial judge to provide him with the legible documents. However, the same had not been done despite several applications filed by him.

On this, the court said that copies of the charge sheet, along with documents, forming part of it have to be reasonably legible.

The court observed, “In view of aforesaid, it is directed that in case the applicant/ accused files an application within a period of eight days from today before the trial court, clearly specifying such copies supplied, which are not legible, the trial court shall consider and decide the same expeditiously and shall ensure that reasonably legible copies of such documents are supplied to the applicant/accused.” The case is of 2000 wherein Surjewala, along with other Congress leaders, was booked for allegedly creating ruckus while protesting against the alleged false implication of some Congress leaders in the Samvasini scandal in Varanasi. It was alleged that during the demonstration, Surjewala, who was then national president of Youth Congress, along with his supporters, indulged in damaging property, stone-throwing and preventing public servants from discharging their duties. A criminal case was lodged against them at the Cantt police station of Varanasi then in this connection.