SC refers plea of Sun TV to bench headed by CJI

NEW DELHI: A Supreme Court bench today refused to hear a plea of Sun TV Network Ltd seeking a stay on attachment of its assets worth Rs 742 crore by Enforcement Directorate and said it should be heard by the bench which has been hearing 2G spectrum cases.

A bench comprising justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C Pant ordered this after the government said the issue pertained to the 2G spectrum case.

"Let it be heard by the designated bench (which hears 2G cases). I have told (Kapil) Sibal (appearing for Sun TV) sternly that unless there is a judicial order, that other benchcan take it up. I will not take it up.

"My judicial conscience tells that we should not take it up," the bench said and referred the plea of the firm to the bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P S Narasimha, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that he was instructed to say that the matter pertains to 2G case.

The ASG also said it was unlikely that any further step would be taken by the ED till the matter is taken up by other bench on Monday.

The firm has filed the plea seeking to stay an attachment of its assets by the ED.

Sibal, during the hearing, said that the Madras High Court had refused to consider its case because it was a 2G issue.