This Court, however, permitted the appellants to companytinue on the anticipatory bail granted by the Bombay Court till November 7, 1997.
On perusal of the report Shri R.K. Krishna Kumar, Shri S. Kidwai and Shri K. Sridhar, the Managing Director, Executive Director and a Consultant of the companypany respectively, the three appellants before us apprehended that they might be arrested in companynection with the above case.
Arising out of SLP Crl.
This Court set aside the order of the Bombay High Court as it was passed ex parte and transferred the anticipatory bail applications filed by the appellants to the Gauhati High Court for disposal by a Division Bench.
THE 3RD DAY OF DECEMBER, 1997 Present Honble Mr.Justice M.K.Mukherjee Honble Mr.Justice K.T.Thomas Soli J.Sorabjee, Shanti Bhushan, Arun Jaitley, Sr.
Pursuant to the said direction the applications for anticipatory bail were heard on November 7, 1997 by a Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court and the prayer of the appellants was rejected.
Their prayer was allowed by the Bombay High Court and aggrieved thereby the State of Assam preferred appeal in this Court after obtaining special leave.
It is alleged that their interrogation revealed that their hotel bills and the medical bill of one of them, namely Mrs. Pranati Deka, who was admitted in a hospital for child birth, were borne by TATA Tea Company Ltd. Company for short under instructions from, amongst others, Shamsher Singh Dogra, the General Manager of the Company.
The F.I.R. was based the State of Assam regarding secessional activities of some militant organisations including United Liberation Front of Assam ULFA .
Mahesh Jethmalani, Arvind Kumar, Upamanyu Hazarika, N.Karanjawala, Ms.Nandini Gore, Ms. Karanjawala, Advs.
3502 of 1997 WITH CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.
On a First Information Report F.I.R. lodged by the Superintendent of Police, Special Operation Unit SOU , Assam, a case under Sections 120 B, 121, 121A and 122 of the Indian Penal Code and 10 and 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 Act for short was registered by the SOU Police Station.
3508 of 1997 J U D G M E N T K. MUKHERJEE, J. Leave granted in all these petitions Heard the learned companynsel for the parties.
1160 OF 1997 Arising out of SLP Crl.
J U D G M E N T The following Judgment of the Court was delivered WITH CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.
3500 of 1997 WITH CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.
with them for the appellants.
1159 OF 1997 Arising out of SLP Crl.
Hence these appeal at their instance.
A few days later, a report appeared in various newspaper circulating throughout the companyntry of a Press Conference held by the Director General of Police, Assam to the effect that the Company had number only paid the personal bills of top ULFA militants but had also paid money, which ran to several lakhs, to ULFA on various occasion.
1158 OF 1997.
In companynection with that case three ULFA activists were arrested by the police at Mumbai Airport on August 23, 1997.
They then filed separate applications before the Bombay High Court under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure praying that they might be directed to be released for with in the event of their, arrest at the instance of the Director General of Police of Assam in companynection with the above case, or any other case that may be filed companycerning the allegations of funding of ULFA militants.
for M s. Jain hansaria Co., Advs.
with him for the Respondents.
