Laxmi Vilas Udaipur Disinvestment: Rajasthan HC stays arrest warrant issued against Arun Shourie, former Minister for Disinvestment

The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday stayed the arrest warrant issued against Arun Shourie by a CBI Court Judge on September 15 in relation to cases registered over the disinvetment of the Laxmi Vilas Hotel, Udaipur. .Shouri was the Minister for Disinvestment in the year 2001, when disinvestment of Laxmi Vilas Hotel, Udaipur took place..Considering the age and family circumstances of the petitioner, a small indulgence of appearing any time by October 15, 2020 was granted to him..The petitioner himself appeared for the online hearing and highlighted his predicaments, while requesting the Court to grant complete exemption from appearance, the Court records in its order. .Shourie had sought the Court's indulgence citing his age, his wife's ailments and a child who required his care..While allowing Shourie the relief sought for, thr Court directed him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 2 Lakhs and two sureties of Rs 1 Lakh each, on any date before October 15..He has also been asked to not leave India without prior permission of the Court..Relying of Pradip Baijal v. Union of India, Advocate Prashant Bhushan and Advocate Pradeep Shah, submitted on behalf of Shourie that the Trial Court had committed an error in holding that the prosecution sanction was not required under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act..The Court had, in that case, granted interim protection to the petitioner therein. Shourie's counsel submitted that though Shourie’s case was identical, it required a different order inasmuch as he was not even named in the FIR..Since the petitioner is a senior citizen and was thus suffering from various age related issues, it was prayed that he be granted complete exemption from appearance before the Trial Court..Appearing for the CBI, the Additional Solicitor General, V Raju supported Shourie's prayer for exemption from appearance. The Rajasthan High Court also concendes that ASG Raju had practically conceded that the order of the Special Judge, CBI is not in conformity with the law. .The CBI has taken a stand that no irregularity had been committed. Therefore, it is their position that the very order of taking cognizance is not proper. .Earlier this week, the High Court had passed an allied order staying the arrest warrants issued against Jyotsana Suri, the proprietor of the Laxmi Vilas Palace Hotel. In this order, the Court had also taken note that the CBI Court issued the arrest warrants after rejecting the final closure report filed by the CBI..Jyotsana Suri is the wife of the erstwhile proprietor of Bharat Hotels, the group that acquired Laxmi Vilas from the Government after the disinvestment process..Arrest warrants were earlier issued by the CBI Court against Jyotsana Suri, Ashish Guha, Pradip Baijal and others, who have been charged with financial irregularities in the conduct of the hotel’s disinvestment..Read the Order here: