I.A. Ansari, J.

1. By this order, I propose to dispose of all the criminal petitions enlisted above, which have arisen out of the applications made under Article 227 of the Constitution of India read with Section 482, Cr.P.C. against the orders, dated 13-4-2007 passed, in Special Case Nos. 5/2006 to 20/2006, whereby the learned Special Judge, CBI, Guwahati, Assam, has rejected the prayer made by the present petitioners, who are accused in the cases aforementioned, to amalgamate and try all the cases together as one case.

2. Broadly speaking, the facts leading to the impugned order are that during the year 1995-98, the Telecom Department, which is, now, known as BSNL, awarded contracts to various contractors for the purpose of trenching of various parts of Imphal-Moreh route and Imphal-Chandrapur route, on National High Way No. 37, in the State of Manipur, and laying of optical fibre cables oh the routes aforementioned, which were divided into several sub-sections. Following the execution of the contract works, so awarded, and payment of the bills made, in this regard, several First Information Reports came to be registered against various contractors, who had been awarded the co