Shillong, April 12: The Meghalaya High Court has requested the Special Judge (CBI) in Shillong to defer further examination of witnesses in the 2009 education job scam case, pending the outcome of an application seeking to quash the criminal proceedings.
The order was issued on Friday by a bench headed by Chief Justice IP Mukerji. “This Court is not formally staying the trial but only requesting the learned Special Judge (CBI) at Shillong to adjourn further examination of witnesses for such period as he deems fit and proper,” the court stated, citing the need to first decide on the pending Section 482 CrPC application.
The application, filed under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code, seeks quashing of criminal proceedings involving multiple accused, including Meghalaya’s current Law Minister, in connection with irregularities in school teacher appointments.
“If this application succeeds then that would be the end of the trial. If it does not, the trial may continue. In my view, there is no point in further continuance of the trial at this stage,” the Chief Justice observed.
Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for the accused, has begun arguments in the matter but has yet to conclude. The court has scheduled further hearings on May 7 and 8, 2025.
The High Court also took note of its earlier directive from February 20, 2025, recommending that the number of prosecution witnesses be “suitably curtailed” to ensure a fair and efficient trial. The court emphasized that such curtailment should not compromise the sufficiency of proof.
The prosecution has since dropped 317 out of 492 listed witnesses and proposed six new ones. So far, 28 witnesses have been examined. The next trial date is scheduled for May 5.
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