HYDERABAD: The High Court on Wednesday directed the Enforcement Directorate to respond to a petition filed by India Cements chairman N Srinivasan seeking exemption from his personal appearance in the India Cements episode of Jagan’s illegal assets case. Justice Shameem Akther was dealing with a petition filed by Srinivasan challenging the order of the Special CBI Court, designated to hear the ED cases, rejecting his plea for grant of exemption from personal appearance. Senior counsel T Niranjan Reddy, appearing for Srinivasan, told the court that there would not be any impact on the case hearing if his client was granted exemption from personal appearance.
Besides, the petitioner has to look after the affairs of India Cements and other companies as well. The ED has been probing the case which was based on the charge sheet filed by the CBI. In fact, the High Court had earlier dismissed the CBI case registered against the petitioner, there was therefore no need to take the ED case seriously, he argued. On the other hand, ED counsel K Manmadha Rao opposed grant of relief to the petitioner saying that the crime committed by the petitioner pertained to money laundering. The judge sought the ED explanation on the issue and posted the matter to February 27.