New Delhi, Jan 20 The Delhi High Court has directed a trial court to expedite proceedings in the case concerning the alleged leak of the 2017 Haryana Civil Services (Judicial) preliminary examination paper.
The court was hearing a plea filed by the former Registrar (Recruitment) of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Dr. Balwinder Kumar Sharma, challenging the trial court's order dismissing his application for summoning documents for witness cross-examination.
The judge stressed the seriousness of the matter and urged the trial court to conduct the proceedings on a day-to-day basis.
The case was transferred from Chandigarh to Delhi following the orders of the Supreme Court.
The trial court has been asked to conclude the matter by April 15 and submit a compliance report to the Delhi High Court.
The high court had in December last year upheld charges against Sharma.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma had stated that the evidence indicates Sharma's possession of the question paper immediately before the alleged leak.
Pointing out the sensitive nature of the case, the court had noted that the required evidence is primarily digital or documentary.
The charges were initially framed on January 31, 2020, by a sessions court in Chandigarh, a decision upheld by the Delhi High Court. In 2021, the Supreme Court transferred the trial to the national capital following Sharma's plea.
Dismissing Sharma's plea, the high court clarified that at the charges stage, the accused cannot submit documents, unless exceptionally preposterous. In this case, the court found no such material, asserting the prosecution's claim of Sharma's constant communication with co-accused Sunita.
Regarding digital evidence, the court noted that cases involving such evidence cannot be dismissed at the initial stage. The court's jurisdiction in entertaining revision petitions is limited to instances of serious illegality, infirmity, or perversity in the trial court's order, which the court did not find in this case.
The case is currently pending before the court of Principal District & Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (PC Act/CBI), Rouse Avenue Court.
Sharma, suspended and transferred to Ropar by the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the paper leak, was later arrested. The charge sheet includes sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Indian Penal Code.
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