STATE OF KARNATAKA Vs. ANNEGOWDA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) State of Karnataka has filed the present appeal against the order of learned Single Judge of the High Court of Karnataka wherein and whereby the High Court while setting aside the judgment and order of the courts below has directed the Trial Court to record evidence in the eleven cases registered against the accused-respondent under Sections 409, 467, 468, 471 (a) of Indian Penal Code pertaining to different periods from 1993 to 2001.

(3.) During the first week of October, 1991, Karnataka State Co-operative Apex Bank Limited (for short "the complainant") drew a programme of inspection of branches of the Bank and directed the then Internal Auditor to inspect the accounts of the branches. The Internal Auditor took up inspection of West of Chord Road II stage Branch on 4.10.1991 and submitted three reports which revealed that a total sum of Rs. 5, 13,50,629/- was misappropriated by the Bank officials during the period from 1.7.1981 to 4.10.1991. Against accused-respondent Annegowda 11 cases, namely, CC No. 8055/93, CC No. 8165/94, CC No. 8195/2000, CC No. 8196/2000, CC No. 8197/2000, CC No. 8198/2000, CC No. 8097/2001, CC No. 8098/2001, CC No. 8099/2001, CC No. 8100/2001 and CC 8101/001 were registered. In all these cases accused-respondent is the main accused. Evidence in each of these cases is voluminous and necessarily, the trial of each case will be slow.