SC not to change dates in Lalu case

The Supreme Court today turned down a request seeking deferment of hearing on a public interest litigation against Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi accusing the Central Board for Direct Taxes (CBDT) of not filing appeal against quashing of income tax cases against them.

When the request for deferment was made by Additional Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam on behalf of Solicitor-General GE Vahanvati, a three-judge Bench headed by Justice SN Variava said it was not possible to change the date of scheduled hearing from September 20. "The Chief Justice has constituted the special Bench and the date of hearing could not be changed," Justice Variava said.

Subramaniam put the request before the Bench on the ground that Vahanvati would have to appear on September 20 before a Constitution Bench hearing petitions filed by former legislators of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) challenging the dissolution of Bihar Assembly. He wanted the petition be heard on October 4.

The Bench said in that case the government had to make alternative arrangements.

The PIL filed by JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lallan" and BJP leader Sushil Modi had accused Prasad of interfering in the ongoing trial of multi-crore rupees fodder scam cases while accusing the government of not pursuing the income tax cases due to his position in the UPA government.

An Income Tax Appellate Tribunal had quashed the tax demands made by the department against Prasad and his wife running to lakhs of rupees but the CBDT did not give clearance for filing of appeals against the tribunal order.