PAULOSE Vs. P P JOY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners, numbering nine, have approached this Court under Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 seeking transfer of Special Case No. 22 of 2008 pending before the Special Judge, CBI, Greater Mumbai, being CBI Case No. RC/03(A)/2005-ACU-05- CBI, New Delhi, to a Court of competent jurisdiction at Jaipur.

(2.) Factual Matrix

(3.) Reasons for transfer According to the petitioners, as per the charge sheet, most of the alleged disproportionate assets/properties are situated at Rajasthan and most of the witnesses are from Rajasthan, Jaipur, in particular. As far as the petitioners are concerned, the allegations against them are of having abetted Shri B.R. Meena-Respondent No. 3 herein and Smt. Champa Devi, wife of Shri B.R. Meena, Respondent No. 4 herein, by fabricating false evidence through preparation of false Agreement to Sell in order to help them for justifying the huge cash recoveries. All the petitioners are residents of the State of Rajasthan. Most of the alleged disproportionate assets are situated at Rajasthan and FIRs were registered at Delhi, therefore, the CBI ought to have filed charge sheet at Jaipur, Rajasthan. It is also stated by the petitioners that since all of them hail from Rajasthan and most of the witnesses to be examined are also residents of Rajasthan, for convenience, the case pending before the Special Judge, CBI, Greater Mumbai be transferred to Jaipur, Rajasthan.