The Westminster Magistrates Court has dismissed a plea to hold the next deposition of its witness, Congress leader Abhay Thipsay, away from the public glare
Bengaluru: As reported by a popular website, the Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday dismissed a plea from diamantaire Nirav Modi’s defence counsel to hold the next deposition of its witness, former high court judge and Congress leader Abhay Thipsay, away from the public glare.
It added that the defence team of fugitive Nirav Modi led by Claire Montgomery asked judge Samuel Goozee for a secret hearing of Abhay Thipsay or impose reporting restrictions on the proceedings so he does not become subject of criticism like the previous time.
The defence counsel argued in the court that Thipsay in May had to face a “disgraceful attack” by Prasad in a press conference and suffer from the “very hostile reporting” in the mainstream media. She contended that her client feared that another public deposition might unleash another flurry of attack against him.
However, the British judge cited the precedents to claim that circumstances did not justify the secret hearing of the case or putting a curb on the media reporting. He mentioned that the Congress leader had not declined to provide further evidence in the case.
It might be recalled that in the month of May, the Congress leader had told the UK court via video link that charges against Nirav would not stand the test of law in Indian courts.
To this, Union minister Ravishankar Prasad had said, “There is overpowering suspicious circumstances from which we can infer that the Congress is trying its best to save and bail out Nirav Modi.”
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