SC verdict in Bhopal gas case, Amar Singh tapes today
Both these judgments will be pronounced simultaneously at 10.30 am, though by separate benches.
By TNN | Updated:
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will have a busy day on Wednesday as it is scheduled to pronounce judgments on whether to apply new and stringent charges against former top officials of Union Carbide in the Bhopal gas leak case, as also the plea for making public the contents of the Amar Singh tapes.
Both these judgments will be pronounced simultaneously at 10.30 am, though by separate benches. The judgment on Bhopal will be pronounced by a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia, while the verdict on the plea for making public the intercepts of Amar Singh's conversations will be given by the bench of Justice G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly.
The CBI had filed a curative petition seeking application of Section 304-II charges against accused, including former UCIL chairman Keshub Mahindra. The agency questioned the rationale behind the SC's earlier judgment diluting the charges to Section 304A of Indian Penal Code. Section 304-II entails a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment whereas a person convicted under Section 304A could be punished for a maximum of two years jail term.
Member of Parliament Singh will also be anxious to know whether the apex court agreed with his plea against publication of his telephone intercepts, carried out through a forged authorisation letter in 2005. Singh had obtained an injunction from the SC against the disclosure of contents of the "Amar Singh" tapes on grounds that these contained his private conversations which were tapped illegally. However, a PIL had sought publication of all those intercepts which were not in the private domain alleging that they pertained to fixing several deals at the cost of the public exchequer.
In addition to these two, the court is scheduled to hear former BJP president Bangaru Laxman's plea against the CBI in the case under the Prevention of Corruption Act that was lodged against him when a sting operation captured him taking a bribe.
It will also hear a petition filed on behalf of Sarabjit Singh, who is facing death penalty in Pakistan for alleged involvement in terror activities. The petitioners were buoyed by the release of Gopal Dass by Pakistan after a request by the Supreme Court.
Both these judgments will be pronounced simultaneously at 10.30 am, though by separate benches. The judgment on Bhopal will be pronounced by a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia, while the verdict on the plea for making public the intercepts of Amar Singh's conversations will be given by the bench of Justice G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly.
The CBI had filed a curative petition seeking application of Section 304-II charges against accused, including former UCIL chairman Keshub Mahindra. The agency questioned the rationale behind the SC's earlier judgment diluting the charges to Section 304A of Indian Penal Code. Section 304-II entails a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment whereas a person convicted under Section 304A could be punished for a maximum of two years jail term.
Member of Parliament Singh will also be anxious to know whether the apex court agreed with his plea against publication of his telephone intercepts, carried out through a forged authorisation letter in 2005. Singh had obtained an injunction from the SC against the disclosure of contents of the "Amar Singh" tapes on grounds that these contained his private conversations which were tapped illegally. However, a PIL had sought publication of all those intercepts which were not in the private domain alleging that they pertained to fixing several deals at the cost of the public exchequer.
In addition to these two, the court is scheduled to hear former BJP president Bangaru Laxman's plea against the CBI in the case under the Prevention of Corruption Act that was lodged against him when a sting operation captured him taking a bribe.
It will also hear a petition filed on behalf of Sarabjit Singh, who is facing death penalty in Pakistan for alleged involvement in terror activities. The petitioners were buoyed by the release of Gopal Dass by Pakistan after a request by the Supreme Court.
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