HC exempts CBI director from appearance in land scam case

The Delhi high court on Thursday stayed an order of a lower court asking the CBI director to personally appear before it to explain disappearance of some documents pertaining to the sensational multi-crore rupees Molarband and Dheerpur land scam case.

The Delhi high court on Thursday stayed an order of a lower court asking the CBI director to personally appear before it to explain disappearance of some documents pertaining to the sensational multi-crore rupees Molarband and Dheerpur land scam case.

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"Instead of the CBI Director, the DIG (Joint Director of CBI) shall appear in person before the trial court to explain the things. The trial court order is modified to that extent," Justice Suresh Kait said.

Additional Solicitor General Vivek Tankha, appearing for the CBI, said, "We will do our best to ensure that CBI shall render complete assistance/documents to the trial court concerned. It will be difficult for the Director of the CBI to personally appear as he has to oversee the entire functioning of the agency."

Allowing the contentions of the agency, Justice Kait said, "In my opinion the presence of the joint director before the trial court would be proper."

The CBI had on Wednesday moved the high court seeking a stay on the order of a Special CBI Judge asking the director of the agency to personally appear before him today.

The lower court had sought explanation from the CBI Director as to why the fact regarding missing documents was suppressed.