HYDERABAD: In a setback to TDP MP and former Union minister Y Sujana Chowdary, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed him to appear before the CBI on May 27 and 28 in connection with the case relating to Best and Crompton engineering projects limited, Bengaluru.
Besides, the Court directed the CBI not to arrest the petitioner or subject him to physical and mental torture under the guise of investigation under Section 160 CrPC and to complete the investigation on the said two days.
Justice T Amarnath Goud was passing this order in a petition filed by Sujana Chowdary challenging the notices issued to him by the CBI, B’luru, which has asked him to appear before it on May 4 in connection with the affairs of Best and Crompton company.
Senior counsel Vedula Venkataramana, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the CBI has no jurisdiction to issue notice to his client as per provision under Section 161 CrPC.
In fact, the petitioner has got nothing to do with the said company since he is neither a shareholder nor a director in that firm, he added.
On the other hand, CBI standing counsel K Surender while insisting for the appearance of the petitioner before the investigating agency, submitted that the petitioner cannot deny facing the investigation under Section 160 and 161 CrPC. In fact, the petitioner was not made an accused in the case, he noted.
When the Court decided to direct the petitioner to appear before the CBI on May 4, the petitioner’s counsel urged for change of the dates to appear in view of ongoing LS polls.
Considering the plea, Justice Amarnath Goud directed the petitioner to appear before the CBI on May 27 and 28 between 10 am and 5 pm and should cooperate with the investigation.
The judge granted liberty to the petitioner to have his counsel during the said period of investigation and that the same should be permitted by the CBI.