29 July,2009 01:56 PM IST | | IANS
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Delhi High Court ruling convicting senior lawyer RK Anand for contempt to court in trying to forge a nexus with defence counsel IU Khan to shield main culprit Sanjeev Nanda in the BMW hit-and-run case.
The Supreme Court, however, acquitted prosecution counsel IU Khan of the contempt to court charges after partially questioning his conduct.
While upholding the high court ruling, a bench of Justice BN Agrawal also issued notice to Anand seeking his explanation as to why his punishment should not be enhanced.
The Delhi High Court had barred Anand from practising in any court in Delhi for four months. The court had also divested him of his designation as senior counsel and had imposed a monetary fine of Rs 2,000.
The apex court bench, which also included Justices GS Singhvi and Aftab Alam, upheld the high court ruling while dismissing Anand's lawsuit against it.
The bench also approved of the sting operation conducted by a television news channel, which showed Anand trying to forge nexus with Khan to derail the BMW case trial.
The bench dismissed Anand's contention that he had been held guilty by the high court due to media trial.
Six people, including three policemen, were crushed to death by a BMW car driven by Sanjeev Nanda in an inebriated state on Lodhi Road in the early hours of January 10, 1999.