SC stays proceedings in Raju Pal murder case

New Delhi, May 3 (UNI) The Supreme Court today stayed trial proceedings in Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) MLA Raju Pal murder case.

A bench, comprising Mr Justice B N Aggarwal and Mr Justice D K Jain, directed Puja Pal, wife of slain MLA, to approach the High Court within 15 days by way of writ petition for CBI inquiry into the murder of her husband.

The apex court also requested the High Court to dispose off the writ petition expeditiously.

When some of the counsel of the accused persons pleaded before the court to place on record that High Court shall consider their bail application, the court told them that ''we have not restrained the High Court from considering your bail application.'' The apex court diposed off the writ petition filed by Puja Pal with these directions.

The BSP MLA was shot dead last year during an election campaign.

Samajwadi party MP Atiq Ahmed and his brother are the main suspects in the case.

There are in all 22 accused in the case.

Puja Pal has sought the transfer of investigation to the CBI on the grounds that main accused was an influential leader of ruling party in Uttar Pradesh and hence free and fair investigation and trial were not possible in UP.

It may be noted that the chargesheet has already been filed in the case and the allegations of the petitioner were that many crucial relevant piece of evidence have been deliberately overlooked.

UNI AKS/SC KP1635