SC asks trial court to hear case involving Pappu Yadav

New Delhi, July 31 (UNI) The Supreme Court today asked the trial court to hold day-to-day hearing in the Ajit Sarkar murder case in which RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav is the main accused.

Trade union leader Ajit Sarkar was murdered in broad daylight in Patna in 1999.

Pappu Yadav, presently lodged in Tihar Jail, was shifted from Bihar to Delhi after he was caught on TV cameras canvassing in the state during 2004 general elections, despite being officially in jail under Supreme Court orders.

A Bench comprising Mr Justice S B Sinha and Mr Justice Dalveer Bhandari, refusing to grant bail to the petitioner ordered speedy conclusion of the trial when senior counsel R K Jain appearing for RJD MP pleaded that there was no evidence against his client and prosecution in the case had already examined over 100 witnesses.

The court, also ordered dropping of the state of Bihar as respondent in the case as it had been investigated by the CBI.

The CBI, however, told the court that it would take another three weeks to examine the remaining witnesses.

The court also expressed hope that no adjournments would be sought by either side in the case so that the trial can be concluded at the earliest.

UNI AKS/SC MSJ BD1944