The Meghalaya High Court has requested the Special Judge (CBI) at Shillong to adjourn further examination of witnesses in the criminal case involving cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh in the infamous Education Scam of 2009.
The single bench of Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji today said this will enable the court to conclude hearing of an appeal by Lyngdoh to quash criminal proceedings against her and to pronounce judgement.
“This Court is not formally staying the trial but only requesting the learned Special Judge (CBI) at Shillong to adjourn further examination of witnesses for such period as he deems fit and proper to enable this Court to conclude hearing of the said pending application and to pronounce judgment,” Mukerji said.
Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the high court that it has decided to drop 317 out of 492 witnesses and will add six additional witnesses in the criminal case, which was allowed by the trial judge.
Earlier, 28 witnesses have already been examined. The next trial is May 5, 2025.
Pointing out that the high court has started hearing Lyngdoh’s application under Section 482 CrPC, the Chief Justice said, “If this application succeeds then that would be the end of the trial. If it does not, the trial may continue,” adding, “In my view, there is no point in further continuance of the trial at this stage before disposal of this Section 482 application”.
Meanwhile, Lyngdoh’s counsel Salman Khurshid has been allowed to continue with his arguments in the Section 482 application.
The high court has scheduled hearing the matters on May 7 and May 8, 2025 or after exhaustion of the Division Bench matters, whichever is earlier.
