In a major decision, the High Court Chief Justice, Madan B Lokur, on Thursday, transferred the case of alleged illegal assets of Telugu Desam Party N Chandrababu Naidu to another bench.
The case has been transferred from the bench which had ordered a preliminary probe into allegations against Naidu based on a petition filed by Pulivendula MLA Y S Vijayamma.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice P V Sanjay Kumar, stated that this step was taken for the speedy completion of the trial.
Chief Justice Lokur said that the bench would not hear the proceedings from now onwards, and suggested that the counsel continue its arguments with a new bench.
The case has been adjourned for further hearing, to Friday.
Meanwhile, the court also adjourned the hearing on a petition filed by Reliance Industries Ltd. seeking a direction to implead it as one of the parties in Vijayamma's petition, to Friday.
The RIL's counsel refuted Vijayalakshmi's allegations that Naidu had extended undue favours to RIL in bagging the K G Basin Exploration contract.
The counsel said that the company had won the oil exploration block in a competitive bid as per the New Exploration and Licensing Policy, 1999. (INN)