Two accused in the Emaar Properties case – V. Vijay Raghav (A8) and N. Sunil Reddy (A7) – on Tuesday urged the Special Court for CBI Cases here not to grant pardon to another accused in the case and a former Emaar official, T. Ranga Rao.
Counsel for Mr. Vijay Raghav argued before the court that the probe agency, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), had recorded statements of several villa and plot owners of the Emaar project as witnesses in the case and Mr. Ranga Rao as a witness was in no way more helpful to the case than the villa owners.
It was only in special circumstances when the investigating agency fails to find any other evidence or witness to prove the case that it could take help of one of the accused as an approver.
However, in the present case, the villa owner as witness held more ground than Mr. Ranga Rao, the defence counsel said.
In fact, Mr. Ranga Rao was planning to escape conviction and the special liking of the probe agency for him was beyond comprehension.
He should be arrested again by the CBI and be kept in judicial remand like the other accused.
The CBI counsel, however, argued that the evidence of Mr. Ranga Rao was important for the conviction of other accused in the case.
The judge posted the case to April 26 for further hearing.
