In a development that may prolong hearing in the legal battle between the Ambani brothers over supply of gas, Justice R V Raveendran of the Supreme Court, who was part of the three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan hearing the matter, today recused himself from the case, saying his daughter worked for a law firm that had been advising Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) in some other matter.

The case involving RIL and Anil Ambani’s Reliance Natural Resources Ltd (RNRL) over the pricing of gas from the Krishna Godavari basin was adjourned until Thursday when a new bench will be constituted for the hearing.

It is learnt that Justice B Sudershan Reddy will be the third judge on the bench.

Legal experts said there was “very little” chance of concluding hearing in the matter by November 17 as was sought earlier by the bench. “The new judge would like to hear the matter afresh to get acquainted with facts of the case as well as contentions raised by the RIL counsel who has been addressing the court so far,” said one of the lawyers in the case.

Justice Raveendran, who had earlier too offered to dissociate himself from the bench as he had shares in companies owned by both brothers but was persuaded to stay on, withdrew from the bench just as hearing began today.

“I am recusing myself from hearing this matter since I came to know only yesterday that my daughter is associated with a solicitors’ firm which is advising the Mukesh Ambani group in other matters relating to projects of global acquisitions,” Justice Raveendran said.

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