Satyam scam: Questionnaire handed over to Raju counsel

HYDERABAD: The process of examination of the accused in the multi-crore accounting fraud at Satyam Computer began on Thursday with the handing over of a questionnaire by a local court to the counsel of B Ramalinga Raju, the ailing former chairman of the IT firm.

The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACCM) gave the questionnaire to Raju's counsel Umamaheshwar Rao and sought reply by August 16. It adjourned the examination process of nine other accused to the same date.

Raju, prime accused in the January 2009 scam, is undergoing treatment for Hepatitis-C at NIMS Hospital here and has not been attending court proceedings since September last. The questionnaire will be served on him at the Government-run hospital.

In view of Raju's hospitalisation, Magistrate B V L N Chakravarti had earlier decided to examine him through a questionnaire and others in the court.

The examination process was adjourned at least on three occasions last month as one of the accused had moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking reversal of procedures to commence the trial.

The accused, Ch Srisailam, a former Satyam employee, informed the ACCM today that he had withdrawn his petition from the High Court, paving the way for examination of the suspects.