As Gokhale faces trial in a rural sessions court in Ahmedabad, charges are being framed in the case, with the next date for hearing in the trial court slated on July 4.
TMC national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale — who sought discharge as well as quashing of criminal proceedings in a 2022 FIR at Ahmedabad’s Cyber Crime police station from the Gujarat High Court — was on Tuesday permitted more time by a trial court for the adjournment of the case hearing, until the HC takes up his petition.
As Gokhale faces trial in a rural sessions court in Ahmedabad, charges are being framed in the case, with the next date for hearing in the trial court slated on July 4.
He sought the quashing of the FIR naming him as an accused, who misused funds that he allegedly amassed by crowdfunding; he also sought quashing of subsequent criminal proceedings — a chargesheet and a trial court order in March — refusing to withdraw the offence charges he faced. The FIR, registered by the Cyber Crime police station in 2022, also forms the basis of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) proceedings against him.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probed money trail of nearly Rs 1.07 crore in Gokhale’s accounts, of which, around Rs 76 lakh was allegedly received through online crowdfunding campaigns and Rs 23 lakh via cash transfers, officials said. The matter was taken up briefly before Justice Nirzar Desai on Tuesday. Gokhale’s counsel provided a compilation of documents that they will be referring to for their submissions before the HC.
Keeping the next hearing on July 23, the court orally directed the prosecution that in case Gokhale requests for time before the trial court during the next hearing, the matter could be adjourned “for at least a month”, by when the HC expects to complete its hearing in the case.