SC stays trial against Chandraswami in FERA case

SC stays trial against Chandraswami in FERA case The Supreme Court stayed the trial in a foreign exchange violation case against controversial tantrik Chandraswami after he sought permission to examine through video-conferencing, Saudi Arabia-based arms dealer Adnan Khagoshi (82) as his witness. A bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi, granted a week's time to the Enforcement Directorate to file its reply on the tantrik's plea. Chandraswami was told to file his reply within two weeks after ED submits its reply. Chandraswami, is facing charges for foreign exchange violations after the Enforcement Directorate seized unaccounted $6000 from his London bank account. The tantrik claimed the money was deposited by a "devotee" without his knowledge. During the brief arguments, the apex court questioned senior counsel Nagendra Rai and others, who appeared for the tantrik, as to why Khagoshi was not willing to come to India and be examined as a witness. "When your witness (Khagoshi) can travel to London why can't he come to India for deposing," the bench queried, to which Rai, in a low tone, stated that he doesn't want to visit the country for some obvious reasons. Additional Solicitor General Vikas Singh strongly opposed the plea for examining Khagoshi through video-conferencing on the ground that the tantrik was deliberately adopting delaying tactics to prolong the trial. Singh opposed Chandraswami's plea that Khagoshi was now 82 years old and was unable to visit India for his deposition.

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