Jaffer Sadiq’s bail plea delayed as MHC Judge recuses from hearing petition
He wondered how the petitioner can move another bail petition while the first petition was reserved for orders.
Jaffer Sadiq; Madras High Court
CHENNAI: In a further setback to alleged drug kingpin Jaffer Sadiq, a former functionary of the DMK, a judge of the Madras High Court hearing the bail petition recused from hearing the plea.
On Saturday, Justice AD Jagadish Chandira recused himself from hearing the bail plea.
Special public prosecutor for the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) N Ramesh objected to the bail as it was filed even before the pronouncement of judgment on Sadiq's earlier bail petition, which was moved before the CBI special court. He wondered how the petitioner could move another bail petition while the first petition was reserved for orders.
Advocate KM Kalicharan, who appeared for Jaffer Sadiq, submitted that as the special court, after hearing the petition, reserved its order and the High Court will be on holiday till December 31 from Monday onwards on account of Christmas, we filed the second bail petition on a precautionary note to avoid further confinement of his client. The counsel submitted that by the time the case was taken up for hearing, the special court has delivered its verdict rejecting the bail plea.
The advocate submitted that there is no ill motive behind the second bail plea. We filed the new bail petition before the High Court on the evening of December 19 after the special court pronounced its order dismissing the bail petition. So, there is no impediment in hearing the petition, he submitted. He also placed an order of the special court which dismissed Sadiq's bail plea.
However, after the objection of ED, the judge recused from hearing the bail plea.
On March 9, the Delhi unit of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested Jaffer Sadiq, who held the post of deputy organiser of DMK NRI wing for Chennai West, for his key role in the alleged trafficking of Pseudoedpherine, a narcotic drug to international drug market including Australia and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the ED registered an enforcement case information report (ECIR) against Sadiq, alleging a money laundering offence connected to the drug trafficking case. The investigation agency also booked Mohammed Saleem, Sadiq's brother, in the money laundering case.
This is the first bail plea Sadiq has moved before the High Court after his arrest by ED on June 26.
