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2002 Supreme(Del) 799

High Court Of Delhi
A.E.PINTO - Appellant
Versus
CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION - Respondent
Decided On : 05/30/2002

Headnote:Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 223 — Charged jointly — Offence appears to have been committed in the course of the same transaction — Conspiracy is one — Evidence, to be examined once and not time and again — Joint trial should be held.

       Held:

       In this case trial of A.E. Pinto was separated because he was yet to be extradited. As noticed above, in the charge-sheet dated 26.12.97, A.E. Pinto was named as one of the accused persons at Seriall No. 9. It was stated in the charge-sheet that A.E. Pinto has been detained in London with a view to extradite him to India for facing trial in the case. He could be extradited to India only on 24.8.2000. As per the allegation, in pursuance of the conspiracy he executed the agreement in the back date and also got the share of US $ 1.20 million, out of defrauded amount In my considered view, looking into the nature of accusation, prima facie the offences appear to have been committed in the course of the same transaction. The conspiracy is one and the evidence of the conspiracy would have to be examined once and not time and again. thereforee, a joint trial can and should be held.

S. K. Agarwal

( 1 ) THIS order will dispose of two petitions filed by the- petitioners under Article 227 of the Constitution of India and 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short, Cr. P. C.), praying for setting aside the order dated 30. 9. 2000, passed by the Special Judge, allowing application of the CBI for clubbing the case of a. E. Pinto with the main case and holding that the joint trial would be justified. Briefly stated the allegations are : that the petitioners Tuncay Alankus, Chairman and Chief Executive officer and Cihan Karanci, Vice-president of M/s. Karsan ltd. , in conspiracy with other accused persons defrauded national Fertilizers Limited, Delhi (for short, NFL), to the extent of US $ 38,000,000/- (then equivalent to rs. 133. 0 crores), in the matter of supply of 2,00,000 MT of urea to the NFL @ US $ 190 PMT (Cost, Insurance and freight basis) against 100% cash pro-payment, which was to be guaranteed by the Insurance Policy also covering m/s. Karsan s risk of non-performance and non-delivery. They obtained 1% of the contract value of US $ 380,000 on 2. 11. 95, for paying premium towards the above Insurance policy. The contract was signed on 9. 11. 95 and they were required to obtain remaining amount of US $ 37. 62 million only after the submission of the said Insurance Policy. However, the petitioners in pursuance of a criminal conspiracy dishonestly submitted only a cover note dated 6. 11. 95 of NHK Marine, London and obtained US $ 37. 62 million on 14. 11. 95 and the same was credited to the account of M/s. Karsan, with Pictet Bank, Geneva, switzerland on 30. 11. 95. Thereafter the amount was misappropriated and shared amongst various conspirators and their associates. The said cover note dated 6. 11. 95, covered only marine perils and it did not counter guarantee 100% cash pro-payment and also did not cover risks of M/s. Karsan s non-performance! and non-delivery. After the conspiracy was exposed, the case was registered. Petitioners did not join investigations. Tuncay Alankus and Cihan Karanci were arrested in Switzerland on. 16. 9. 96 and could be extradited to India on 3. 10. 1997 only after all their appeals opposing extradition were dismissed. After investigation charge-sheet was filed on 26-12. 97, against nine accused persons. Including petitioners- name of A-E. Pinto was shown at serial number nine, as till then he could not be extradited. The cognizance of the offence was taken by the Special Judge on 7. 1. 98. It was specifically stated that A. E. Pinto was one of the conspirators; and he unauthorizedly signed the contract. There is material on record showing his involvement- He got his share of US $ 1. 20 million out of the defrauded amount of US $ 38 million- He was arrested in London on 11. 12. 97. Charges on the basis of charge-sheet were framed against the remaining accused persons. Some of the accused persons filed revision petitions, against the order of charge.

( 2 ) THE trial started and 30 witnesses were examined. A. E. Pinto could be extradited to India only on 24. 8. 2000, and after his arrest supplementary challan was also filed- on 31. 8. 2000, CBI filed an application praying that the case of A. E. Pinto, be clubbed with the main case, to avoid duplicacy in the recording of evidence. Accused persons namely, C. K. Ramakrishnan, D. S. Kanwar and P. C. Yadav, did not object to the clubbing of the cases. However, other accused persons including O. Malesham Goud, M. Sambha siva Rao and B. anjiva Rao filed the reply opposing the prayer for clubbing. Learned trial court vide impugned order allowed the application of the CBI. This order is under challenge.

( 3 ) I have heard learned counsel for parties and have been taken through the record. Learned counsel for petitioners argued that there is no provision in the Cr. P. C. . for clubbing the case. There has to be separate trial for each offence. He argued that petitioners have not been extradited and charged for the offence pun

















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