Satyam fraud: Court dismisses plea to defreeze bank accounts

Dismissing the petitions of former Price Waterhouse auditors - S Gopalkrishnan and Talluri Srinivas who sought defreezing of their bank accounts, special judge B V L N Chakravarti considered CBI's contention that further investigations is pending in the case at this stage.

The judge also said that the petitioners did not file any document in the court to disclose the source of the amount available in both the accounts to show that it is no way connected with the offence.

The court observed that at this stage of proceedings in the case, no directions can be issued to the CBI regarding defreezing of the accounts and dismissed the petitions.

The CBI had, earlier, opposed defreezing of saving bank accounts of S Gopalkrishnan and Talluri Srinivas in a private bank in Banjara Hills branch here on the ground that they could possibly contain funds related to the fraud.

The former PW auditors in separate petitions had earlier submitted that the saving bank accounts were held under joint accounts with their wives respectively who were operating it to meet day-to-day expenses and other financial commitments.

During the course of investigation into the Satyam fraud case, the CBI freezed both the bank accounts.

Following instructions from the investigating agency, the private bank stopped the petitioners' wives from accessing to the accounts from September last year.

Referring to a petition of Mahindra Satyam, seeking release of the record rooms at Satyam Technology Centre and 'My Home Hub' premises which were sealed by CBI as part of the investigations, the court posted the matter for orders to April 23.

The court also extended the judicial remand of all the ten accused, including the prime accused and Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju, till the same date.

Meanwhile, the judge further posted the matter for orders to April 23 on the petition of Enforcement Directorate that sought the court's permission to allow it to record the statements of four Satyam scam accused.