Supreme Court stays Jaffer Sharief's trial in graft case

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) The Supreme Court Wednesday stayed the trial of former railway minister C.K. Jaffer Sharief in an alleged corruption case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The apex court bench headed by Justice P. Sathasivam also issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking its reply on the former railway minister's plea.

It gave investigating agency two weeks to file its reply. Appearing for Sharief, senior counsel. P.P. Rao told the court that the CBI are trying to "make mountain out of a mole hill."

In a case dating back to 1995, the former railway minister is facing charges of misusing his office and causing loss to the public exchequer by taking along with him his personal staff on his visit to London for a heart operation.

The CBI had alleged that Sharief forced the managing directors of two public sector undertakings to sanction travel for four of his employees.

Sharief had moved the Supreme Court seeking suspension of the court proceedings against him in the first week of May, after the Delhi High Court took cognizance of the case and proceeded against him. It rejected the CBI closure report in the case for want of official sanction to prosecute him.