Court denies permission for Ravi Ruia to travel abroad

 A special court today denied permission to Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia, an accused in a case arising out of the probe into the 2G scam, to travel abroad.

It also imposed costs of Rs 25,000 each on a Group official and another firm Loop Telecom Ltd (LTL) by dismissing their pleas to refer the case to Lok Adalat.

The court said Ruia's plea was filed in a "casual" manner with "some ulterior motive" and the separate pleas of Vikash Saraf, Essar Group Director (Strategy and Planning) and LTL to go for amicable settlement through the Lok Adalat cannot be accepted as it was not a "simple dispute".

While dismissing Ruia's plea seeking permission to travel abroad till March 31 for business purposes, Special CBI Judge O P Saini said, "....I find that these applications are being filed in a casual and cavalier manner, not for seeking relief prayed for but to waste the time of the court with a view to delay the disposal of the main case..."

The court further said, "...these applications are being filed non-seriously aimed at some ulterior motive including to waste the time of the court in order to delay the disposal of the case."

Dealing with the pleas filed by Saraf and LTL, the court noted that the case cannot be termed as a "simple dispute" as it has created a "political uproar" in the country.

"The case has acquired the dubious status of a scam of huge financial magnitude attracting the attention of general public at large," it said.

"So much so, the case created a political uproar in the country and Parliament also constituted a Joint Parliamentary Committee for its investigation. This shows the nature of the impact the instant case has created on the general public and the concerned authorities," the judge said.

"Accordingly, both applications (of Saraf and LTL) are dismissed, subject to cost of Rs 25,000 each. The cost be deposited within seven days from today, failing which warrant of attachment shall follow in due course," it said.

Essar Group promoters, Ravi Ruia and Anshuman Ruia, Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan, her husband I P Khaitan, Saraf and three firms -- LTL, Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holding Ltd -- are facing trial in the case. All of them have denied charges levelled by CBI.