SC quashes charges against Jaffer Sharief

Former Union Railway Minister C K Jaffer Sharief got a major legal relief on Friday when the Supreme Court quashed criminal proceedings against him in a corruption case, relating to alleged misuse of his official position in taking four aides to London with him in 1995.

Setting aside the Delhi High Court order of April 2012, a Bench led by Justice P Sathasivam said as a minister, it was for Sharief to decide on the number and identity of the officials and supporting staff, who should accompany him if it was anticipated that he would be required to perform his official duties while in London.

"If in the process, the rules or norms applicable were violated or the decision taken shows an extravagant display of redundancy, it is the conduct and action of the appellant (Sharief) which may have been improper or contrary to departmental norms. But to say that the same was actuated by a dishonest intention to obtain an undue pecuniary advantage will not be correct," observed the Bench.

It noted that facts on record completely failed to establish that he or his aides got pecuniary advantage in taking four of his staff members with him on a tour to London in 1995 for his medical treatment.

Sharief had approached the apex court against the HC order, dismissing his plea against a trial court's decision to reject a CBI closure report in the case and prosecute him instead. Sharief had been accused of dishonestly ensuring the journey of his erstwhile additional private secretary B N Nagesh, stenos S M Masthan and V Muralidharn and driver C H Samaullah to London.

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