SIMRANJIT SINGH MANN Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner has filed the present writ petition by way of public interest litigation with a prayer that respondent Nos. 1 and 2 be directed to transfer the proceedings of the Criminal case pending against respondent nos. 3 to 5 under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 before the Special Judge, Ropar to any other Court outside the State of Punjab.

(2.) THE grievance of the petitioner is seeped in the apprehension that the trial being conducted against respondent Nos. 3 to 5 at Ropar is likely to be prejudiced as respondent No. 3 is presently the Chief Minister of the State of Punjab, whereas respondent Nos. 4 and 5 are his wife and son, respectively and he is likely to influence the outcome of the trial, the indications of which are already available as most of the witnesses examined so far have resiled from their statements which were given to the Vigilance Bureau/Police during the course of investigation. To substantiate his plea, he has placed on record the statements of the witnesses, who have since chosen not to support the prosecution case.

(3.) A perusal of the wit petition and the documents annexed therewith does not, in any way, enlighten the Court as to the basis of the apprehension of the petitioner.