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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CRIMINAL  APPELLATE JURISDICTION  

CRIMINAL APPEAL NOS.2068-2072   OF  2010

(Arising out of SLP(Crl.) Nos.6995-6999/2010)

C.B.I., HYDERABAD                         Appellant(s)

                    :VERSUS:

B. RAMARAJU AND ORS.                      Respondent(s)

WITH

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.2073   OF  2010

(Arising out of SLP(Crl.) No.7844/2010)

O R D E R

Leave granted.

We  have  heard  the  learned  counsel  for  the  

parties at length.

This order will dispose of all these criminal  

appeals filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation  

against the  orders dated  20.7.2010 and  18.08.2010  

passed  by  the  High  Court  of  Andhra  Pradesh  at  

Hyderabad by which the respondents herein (accused  

Nos.1, 2, 3, 7, 8 & 9) were granted bail.  

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According to the allegations of the appellant,  

the respondents - accused are involved in one of the  

greatest corporate  scams of  the commercial  world.  

It  has  caused  a  financial  storm  throughout  the  

country and the world over. Lakhs of shareholders  

and  others  have  been  duped  and  the  corporate  

credibility  of  the  nation  has  received  a  serious  

setback. We are deliberately refraining from making  

a detailed observation regarding the conduct of the  

respondents  –  accused  because  the  trial  is  still  

pending  and  we  do  not  want  the  trial  to  be  

prejudiced in any manner.  

Ordinarily  this  Court  would  be  slow  in  

cancelling  the  bail  already  granted  by  the  High  

Court  but  in  the  extraordinary  facts  and  

circumstances  of  these  cases,  we  are  of  the  

considered view that the impugned orders passed by  

the  High  Court  granting  bail  to  the  respondents,  

cannot  be  sustained  in  law  and  the  same  are  

accordingly set aside.  

The  respondents  –  accused  are  directed  to

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surrender on or before 10th November, 2010, otherwise  

the  appellants  shall  take  appropriate  steps  in  

accordance with law.

We are informed that charges have been framed  

on  25th October,  2010  and  trial  is  scheduled  to  

commence with effect from 2nd November, 2010.  In  

these  circumstances,  we  deem  it  appropriate  to  

direct the Trial Court to take up the case on day-

to-day basis and conclude the trial of this case as  

expeditiously  as  possible,  in  any  event,  on  or  

before 31st July, 2011.

The Trial Court would avoid granting any undue  

adjournments,  unless  it  becomes  absolutely  

imperative.   

The Trial Court is directed to decide the case  

without being influenced by any observations made by  

the High Court or by this Court in this order.  

The  parties  are  directed  to  examine  only  

material  and  most  essential  witnesses  and  fully  

cooperate with the Trial Court.

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The accused shall be produced before the Trial  

Court  on  time,  on  every  date  of  hearing,  unless  

exempted by the orders of the Court.   

The High Court of Andhra Pradesh is requested  

not to transfer the notified judicial officer until  

the trial is concluded.  

In case, the trial is not concluded for any  

reason before 31st July, 2011, the respondents would  

be at liberty to approach the Trial Court for grant  

of bail. We have no doubt that the concerned Court  

would  decide  the  bail  application,  if  filed,  

expeditiously in accordance with law.      

With these observations and directions these  

appeals are disposed of.

.....................J (DALVEER BHANDARI)

.....................J (DEEPAK VERMA)

New Delhi; October 26, 2010.