Jammu, May 15: A local court here today issued non-bailable warrants against former minister and PDP MLA, Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, who is facing trial in a much publicized multi-crores Sidhra land scam.
 Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu, Pawan Dev Kotwal observed that the accused has been continuously absent from the court appearance and despite repeated assurances from his counsel no order, if any, passed by the High Court has been placed on record.
 “The counsel reiterated the submissions that matter is subjudice in the High Court at Srinagar Wing, but did not produce any order by virtue of which proceedings in this Court are stayed or any direction which came to be passed by the High Court to the Special Judge Anticorruption at the instance of accused”, the court observed holding that proviso attached to clause “b” of section 7-A of Prevention of Corruption Act Smvt 2006 mandates that proceedings shall not be adjourned or postponed merely on the ground that application u/s 435 has been made by a party to the proceeding.
 Taking serious note of continuously absence of the accused, the court observed that the proceedings in the case were hanging in balance since June 6, 2010 for securing the presence of accused but he through his counsel has sought repeated opportunities to appear in the Court or produced latest order of the High Court staying the proceedings.
 “The motive of the accused therefore, appears to be only to delay the proceedings and as such Court has no other option except to adopt coercive measures to secure his presence”, the court held while issuing the non-bailable warrants through SSP Crime Branch Jammu “who shall ensure the execution of warrants, failing which appropriate order shall follows”

Lastupdate on : Tue, 15 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
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