SC defers Balwant Singh Rajoana – 1995 killer of Punjab CM Beant Singh – plea for release
Senior advocate Rohatgi, appearing for Rajoana, urged the bench to grant temporary release to Rajoana.
In view of the observations of Justice Amrita Sinha in Calcutta High Court, the Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justice Sanjeev Khanna and Justice SVN Bhatti today confirmed the direction of the Division Bench of the high court that the courts shouldn’t make stray observations during the course of the hearing and that the Enforcement Directorate has to strictly act in accordance with law and within the four corners of the orders passed.
The court was hearing an application for directions preferred by Abhishek Banerjee pointing out the remarks made during the course of the hearing in the TET 2014 alleged scam and said that the applicant is free to challenge any order before the Division Bench and further directed that the ED should only follow the letter of law.
Regarding the investigation where the applicant is being subjected to a media trial, the apex court observed that the directions passed in Sahara v SEBI matter regarding media reportage and rights of an individual are already in place and should be strictly adhered to.
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The apex court today declined to entertain the prayer seeking to change the Bench of Justice Amrita Sinha in Calcutta High Court in connection with the issue of certain observations carried by the media.
The top court, following a hearing of the petition, told the counsel of Mr Banerjee that the court was strongly averse to any intervention in to this case and should Mr Banerjee have anything against any observations by the single Bench of the Calcutta High Court, shall have to petition the Division Bench of the said court.
The court further held that the issue of interference by courts in an ongoing investigation under the garb of monitoring has been well examined by the Supreme Court in various cases and law has been laid down in this regard which has to be followed strictly.
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