SC picks 2 judges for 41 coal scam cases

New Delhi, April 5

Delhi Sessions judges Arun Bhardwaj and Sanjay Bansal will conduct coal scam trials as the Supreme Court on Monday appointed them as special judges to take the 41 cases hanging fire since 2014 to their logical conclusions.

“We consider it appropriate to nominate Arun Bhardwaj and Sanjay Bansal as Presiding Judges of Special Court Nos.1 and 2 respectively. They shall be appointed in the order of their seniority. Ordered accordingly,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said in its order.

Bhardwaj and Bansal replace Special Judge Bharat Parashar. Special public prosecutor RS Cheema had suggested that it would be appropriate to appoint two special courts instead of one as the number of cases was quite high.

The Centre had concurred with the proposal to appoint the two new judges as special judges. The SC had on March 15 asked the Chief Justice of the Delhi HC to suggest names of five trial court judges of "high calibre and absolute integrity" for appointing one of them as the special judge to replace Parashar. — TNS