Time-bound schedule set for pending DRI investigations with fixed attendance dates, Roznama entries and four-month outer limit

SC directed a time-bound schedule for completion of pending DRI investigations, fixing specific dates and times for the concerned persons to attend before the competent DRI authority and ordering the authority to record a Roznama on each attendance date. The Court warned that failure to appear on appointed dates would void the time-schedule and remove any time-limit for investigation. SC also imposed a four-month outer limit from the date of the order for completion of the investigations, subject to discovery of incriminating material, and disposed of the special leave petition accordingly.

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Investigations had been pending for a considerable time; petitioner sought a time-bound schedule for completion. The Court fixed specific attendance dates and times before the competent D.R.I. authority: Mohit Verma to appear 15-17 December 2009 at 10:00-17:00; T.L. Verma to appear 14, 15, 20-21 January 2010 at 10:00-17:00. The Court recorded that non-appearance on the originally summoned date was noted and warned that "if in future on the appointed date" either party remains absent "then the time-schedule ... will not apply and, in that case, there will be no time-limit for completion of investigation by D.R.I." The Court granted "four months' time from today to the Department to complete the investigation," as the outer limit, subject to emergence of incriminating evidence. The competent authority is directed to record a Roznama for each investigation date, including parties' appearances. Subject to these directions, the special leave petition is disposed of.

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