The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the trial in a foreign exchange violation case against self-styled godman Chandraswami, who sought permission to examine a Saudi Arabia-based arms dealer, Adnan Khagoshi, as his witness through video-conferencing.

While staying the trial till further orders, a Bench comprising Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi sought a reply from the Enforcement Directorate on a plea by Chandraswami, whose real name is Nemi Chand Jain. The ED was granted a week to file its reply, following which the godman would file his response to it within two weeks.

Chandraswami is facing charges under FERA after the ED seized an unaccounted $ 6,000 from his London bank account. According to him, a “devotee”, without his knowledge, deposited the money. Now to prove his innocence, he has sought the court’s nod to examine Khagoshi.

Chandraswami, meanwhile, has pointed out that Khagoshi was 82 years old and was unable to visit India for his deposition.

The Bench then posed a query to senior advocate Nagendra Rai and others appearing for the godman: “When your witness (Khagoshi) can travel to London, why can’t he come to India for deposing?”

Additional Solicitor General Vikas Singh strongly objected to the plea on the ground that examination through video conferencing was yet another delaying tactic adopted by Chandraswami who ultimately wants to prolong the trial. Singh further pointed out how the argument that he can’t travel due to his age is false considering enough evidence which is there to prove that Kaghoshi was shuttling between Saudi Arabia and England besides other countries, but was consciously avoiding India.