Vijaya Raghav objects to Ranga Rao’s pardon plea

HYDERABAD: The Special CBI Court adjourned the hearing on a petition filed by V Vijaya Raghav, an accused in the Emaar scam, objecting to the ‘tender of pardon’ petition filed by another accused in the same case, Tummala Ranga Rao of Stylish Homes Pvt Ltd, to March 27.

Ranga Rao, who is on bail, filed the ‘tender of pardon’ petition seeking to turn approver in the Emaar case and the investigating agency also did not object to it.

The CBI, however, laid a condition that he should make full and true disclosures in the case.

Opposing Ranga Rao’s petition, Raghav submitted that petition is prima facie not maintainable as per the provisions of Indian Evidence Act and in the light of SC ruling.

He said that Ranga Rao made the statement under 161 CrPC under inducement by the CBI but not to make a full disclosure of the whole of the circumstances within his knowledge of the offence.

This is evident from non-opposition by the CBI to grant anticipatory bail to Ranga Rao and it’s quid pro quo to the agreement.

The non-opposition to anticipatory bail was part of the conspiracy between Ranga Rao and CBI to abuse the process of the law, he said in the petition.

He pointed out that grant of Tender of Pardon to the petitioner, in the light of facts, would be a travesty of justice.

Meanwhile, in a related development, Raghav’s counsel Diljit Singh Ahluwalia complained to the court against senior counsel Sivarama Krishna appearing for Raghav on Wednesday.

Ahluwalia submitted to the court that he is the sole counsel for Emaar MGF.

However, Sivarama Krishna maintained he appeared only on a request