Former Union Minister Santosh Bagrodia today sought parity with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for staying of criminal proceedings against him in a trial court in a coal block allocation case.
The 75-year-old Congress leader, who was junior minister to Singh in the coal ministry from April 2008 to May 2009, said he was entitled for the same relief the apex court gave to the then Prime Minister on April 1 by staying the order of the trial court summoning him as an accused in another case arising out of the coalgate.
"Am I not entitled on equity to the same relief as done in the case of Manmohan Singh," Bagrodia's counsel and senior advocate K K Venugopal submitted before a bench headed by Justice M B Lokur.
He said if his appeal against the special court order was not admitted and the trial court proceeding was not stayed like that of Singh, then he would say that justice had not been done in the case.
"There is only one Supreme Court of India though you sit in different benches," Vengopal said, adding he was asking for the same order as was given by another bench to Singh.
"Why should I (Bagrodia) be placed on different footing? My case is also of summoning like Singh," the senior advocate said before the bench, which also comprised Justices Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri.
When Bagrodia sought exemption from personal appearance before the trial court where he has to be present on September 29, the bench, which was at first reluctant to grant relief, accepted the plea of his counsel.
"You move an application for exemption from personal appearance before the trial court which will consider your plea," the bench said while posting the matter for further hearing on September 29.
CBI counsel and senior advocate Amarender Sharan opposed the plea of former union minister for stay of proceeding against him saying their was alleged motive on his part and his role cannot be denied.
Bagrodia, former Minister of State for Coal in Singh's cabinet has been summoned as accused by special CBI court in a case concerning allocation of Maharashtra's Bander coal block to AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd.
On September 7, the bench had refused to grant him any relief saying that Singh's matter will come for hearing within 10 to 12 days. However, when Singh's case came for hearing on September 15 before a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, it ordered its deletion from list of business of September 21.
