Supreme Court rejects CBI plea to transfer UP PF scam trial to Delhi

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea for transferring the trial of a case involving fraudulent withdrawal of provident fund of Ghaziabad court staff from Uttar Pradesh to a Delhi Court.

It has been reported that the names of some judicial officers and sitting judges of Allahabad High Court have figured in the case.

“We do not find any merit in the CBI plea seeking transfer of the case from Ghaziabad to Delhi,” said a three-judge bench headed by Justice D K Jain.

Rejecting the plea, the apex court further said it was difficult for it to believe that the Ghaziabad court, which is seized of the matter, will be biased and not be impartial since some of the former colleagues of the judge trying the case were among the accused.

“The apprehension of the CBI is ‘misplaced’, the bench said, which also comprised Justice V S Sirpurkar and Justice G S Singhvi.

The case reportedly assumes importance as the names of several judicial officers, former and sitting judges of the Allahabad High Court and a former Supreme Court judge, who retired recently, have figured as alleged beneficiaries of the scam involving withdrawal of several crore of rupees from the Ghaziabad treasury. (ANI)