RailEnquiry

The Supreme Court on Monday extended until further orders the stay on criminal proceedings against the former Railway Minister, C.K. Jaffer Sharief, in a 1995 case registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

A Bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi extended the stay issued on July 4 and posted the case to October 9 for final disposal.

Mr. Sharief had filed an appeal against the Delhi High Court’s order rejecting his discharge plea. He was accused of conspiracy and taking four railway personnel along with him when he went to England for medical treatment and causing the exchequer a loss of Rs. 7 lakh.

‘Official visit’

Earlier, senior counsel P.P. Rao said it was an official visit and Mr. Sharief, as Minister, was entitled to take personal staff during his foreign trip. During treatment he continued to be Minister, counsel said and wondered how the PC Act would apply for taking the personal staff who were railway employees.

Additional Solicitor General Mohan Jain, appearing for the Central Bureau of Investigation, however, said Mr. Sharief taking personal staff to England would attract the PC Act. The Bench agreed to examine the legal issue.