SC Maintains RK Anand’s Conviction in BMW case; Clears Khan
In the BMW hit-and-run expose case, the Supreme Court has maintained the Delhi High Court’s ruling of the conviction of high-profile criminal lawyer RK Anand for contempt of court and issued notice enhancing the punishment. Besides, the apex court found conduct of special public prosecutor IU Khan inappropriate but quashed his conviction and cleared of contempt charges.
After watching original footage of the sting operation provided by a TV channel, a three judge Bench comprising Justices B N Agrawal, G S Singhvi and Aftab Alam, announced the ruling.
As for sting operation, the bench observed that it was in public interest and did not amount to media trial and served a public purpose.
It may be mentioned that R K Anand and I U Khan had been stripped of their senior advocate designation by the Delhi High Court. The HC had found both culpable of influencing controversial prosecution witness Sunil Kulkarni in the infamous BMW hit-and-run case involving Sanjeev Nanda.
Both had appealed in the SC and pleaded that the HC had exceeded its jurisdiction by stripping them of the senior advocate designation, a decision which the regulatory body, Bar Council of India, alone could take.
They had also questioned the authenticity of the tapes relating to the sting operation on their alleged dealing with Kulkarni, which was broadcast by a TV channel, saying the HC had repelled their repeated plea for a forensic examination of the tapes.
The HC, in an unprecedented order, had convicted the two prominent lawyers, debarred them from practising in Delhi for four months and also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 each for obstructing the course of justice by trying to influence the star witness.
