Muttil tree-felling case: SC transfers cheating case against Augustine brothers to Sultan Bathery court

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Tuesday transferred to the Sultan Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court the cheating case related to the Muttil tree-felling case that was pending before the Chottanikkara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.

The transfer was ordered by a Bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Vinod Chandran, after the Kerala government informed the court that the investigation report in the case registerd by forest department related to the Muttil tree-felling incident had been filed before the Sultan Bathery court on September 17.

The Supreme Court directed that proceedings in the second case should commence at Sultan Bathery after the proceedings in the first case are completed. The court also clarified that evidence in the two cases would have to be recorded separately.

The Kerala High Court had earlier directed the Chottanikkara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court to begin trial in the cheating case from Tuesday. Appearing for accused Roji Augustine, Senior Advocate R. Basant and Advocate P. Vishnu told the Supreme Court that the investigation report in the related case pending before the Sultan Bathery court had not yet been filed. They sought a stay of the Chottanikkara proceedings until the report was filed.

However, Senior Advocate M.R. Ramesh Babu and Standing Counsel Aljo K. Joseph, appearing for the Kerala government, informed the court that the investigation report had been filed before the Sultan Bathery court on September 17.

The state government also informed the Supreme Court that the Augustine brothers, accused in the Muttil tree-felling case, are facing 37 cases.

Senior Advocate Nikhil Goel and Advocate Abid Ali Beeran appeared for the complainant in the cheating case against the Augustine brothers