One more witness turns hostile

Chandigarh, November 30

One more witness retracted from his statement in the cash-at-judge’s door scam. Former High Court judge Nirmal Yadav is facing trial in the case.

The case surfaced in August 2008 when Justice Nirmaljit Kaur called the police after a bag containing Rs 15 lakh was erroneously delivered at her house. The CBI had alleged that the money had been demanded by Justice Nirmal Yadav. The money was delivered by Parkash Ram, a clerk of advocate Sanjiv Bansal, the then Additional Advocate General, Haryana, on the directions of Ravinder Singh, a Delhi-based businessman.

During resumed hearing in the CBI court, two prosecution witnesses, RS Gill and Suridner Sood, were cross-examined by the special public prosecutor. Gill stood by the statement recorded with the CBI, while Surinder Sood did not support his statement, following which was declared hostile.

During previous hearing, two witnesses Vimal Bhardwaj, a resident of Dehradun, and Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Jangumajra village in Ambala, were declared hostile.

The CBI court also issued bailable warrants against two prosecution witnesses - Santosh Tripathi and RK Jindal, as they failed to appear in the court today. Tripathi was a stenographer with Sanjiv Bansal, whereas Jindal is the cousin of Sanjiv Bansal. — TNS