M A I N   N E W S

Rao moves high court

NEW DELHI, Oct 23 (PTI) — Former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao, sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment in the JMM MPs bribery case, today filed an appeal against his conviction in the Delhi High Court.

The court listed the matter for hearing tomorrow before a single Bench headed by Mr Justice R. S. Sodhi, who last week had admitted for hearing an appeal by former Union Minister Buta Singh, also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by a special court here on October 13.

CBI counsel A. K. Dutt said an advance copy of the appeal petition had been served on the agency.

Associates of Mr Rao’s counsel R.K. Anand said the petition challenged the trial court order on the grounds that the entire judgement was based on confessional statement of an approver, Mr Shailendra Mahato, whose statement could not be relied upon. There was no other evidence against the former Prime Minister, they said.

Mr Buta Singh had also challenged the trial court order on the same grounds.

While admitting Mr Buta Singh’s appeal, the court had asked the CBI to file its reply by November 7.