Sebi plea: HC to hear Rajus

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad,Jan. 30: The Andhra Pradesh High Court will decide on the plea by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to interrogate the Satyam ex-chairman, B. Ramalinga Raju, and his brother, Rama Raju, only after hearing their version on February 9.
On Friday the High Court heard the arguments on the maintainability of the writ petition filed by Sebi challenging the order passed by the sixth additional chief metropolitan magistrate denying it permission to interrogate the Raju brothers.
Arguing before the High Court, the Solicitor-General, Mr Goolam E. Vahanvati, stressed the need to allow Sebi to conduct its probe.
But Justice B. Seshasayana Reddy was not ready to pass an ex-parte order without hearing the Raju brothers.
“We cannot accord any relief without hearing the other side,” he said. “They have favourable orders from the lower court.”
Mr Vahanvati, however, said the lower court has only dismissed the Sebi plea and had not given any favourable order to the Rajus.It had also not given any clean chit to Ramalinga Raju and his brother, he said.
Though Mr Goolam E. Vahnavati said no prejudice would be caused to the cause of accused if Sebi interrogated them for a day, the judge was not amenable.
Later, the judge ordered notice to be served on the Raju brothers through the superintendent of Chanchalguda Central Prison where they have been lodged since January 10.