HC reserves order on transfer of judge in the BMW case

New Delhi, Sept 19 (UNI) Delhi High Court today reserved its orders on the application of senior lawyer R K Anand, who has requested the Judge hearing his case in the BMW-sting exposure, in which he was shown allegedly colluding with the witness to influence the case in his client's favour, be changed.

Mr Anand has requested Justice Manmohan Sarin to recuse himself from hearing his case as he holds a ''certain bias'' against the lawyer.

Contempt proceedings against two lawyers - - Mr Anand and I U Khan -- are on in the High Court for influencing the key witness Sunil Kulkarni as shown in the sting operation conducted by a TV Channel in the BMW-hit and run case. The allegation against Mr Anand is that he tried to influence the witness by offering him a bribe to depose in their favour to save his client Sanjive Nanda, grandson of former Navy chief, Admiral S M Nanda.

Mr Khan, who is the prosecution lawyer in the case, was also shown to be in collusion with the witness and the accused.

''The Bench hearing this case is headed by Justice Manmohan Sarin, who has a personal bias against me, as he, when a lawyer, opposed me several times in many matters and I, in return, had also levelled certain accusations against him.'' Mr Anand contended, adding his apprehension that Justice Sarin would use the opportunity to ''settle personal scores.'' In his confidential letter, he cited various incidents as to why the Judge should, on his own, transfer the case to some other bench.

UNI