NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and the two other accused in the St. Kitts forgery case will be effectively on bail at least until November 6. The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate today posted the case for hearing on October 30 and the Supreme Court, while modifying a Delhi High Court order, ruling that the bail would hold good till a week after the trial court, decided on the regular bail pleas. CMM Prem Kumar today refused to decide on the bail applications of Rao and former Union minister K.K. Tewary stating that the matter can be taken up only after a new venue was selected in the high security New Delhi zone for the trial of the case as per the Supreme Court order. While Tewary appeared before the court today, Rao has been exempted from personal appearance until the venue issue is sorted out in the light of threat of to his life. Prem Kumar said Rao need not appear even on October 30, but Tewary should be present in the court on that day. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, in special sitting last night stayed the trial court proceedings against another accused, former Enforcement Director K.L. Verma, who contended that he cannot be prosecuted without prior sanction from the government as he is still a public servant in his capacity as (joint secretary, in Finance Ministry.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 16, 1996
