SC extends stay on criminal proceedings against Azim Premji, others

New Delhi/Bengaluru: The Supreme Court Tuesday extended the stay on criminal proceedings against former Wipro chairman Azim Premji, his wife and others on their plea seeking quashing of summons issued by a Bengaluru court on a “frivolous” and “mischievous” complaint filed by an NGO alleging breach of trust and corruption in merger of three companies with a Premji group firm.

A bench of justices S K Kaul and M M Sundresh was hearing an appeal filed by Premji challenging the Karnataka High Court order of May 15 which had rejected their pleas for quashing of the January 27 summons issued by the trial court.

“We would not like to spend considerable judicial time on these proceedings in the context of some of the orders read against the respondent in the present proceedings, more so, in view of the criminal contempt proceedings initiated against the complainant, the volunteer and Mr. R. Subramanium vide order dated July 6, 2021 by a Bench of the Karnataka High Court,” the bench said.

The apex court was told that the next date in those proceedings is October 19.

“Both the parties assure us that they will fully cooperate to see that a final view is taken by the division bench in those proceedings and we are placing the present matters for directions, by which date possibly, the view of the Karnataka High Court would be placed before us,” the bench said.

The top court was informed that the contemnors have not filed any reply to the contempt notice but have filed an application seeking recall of the order issuing notice.

“In that application, the petitioner(s) before us have to file a reply and that application will come up for consideration.

“We see no reason why the contemnors should not file a reply to the contempt notice, without prejudice to their claims made in the application seeking recall of the order and such a reply be filed by October 18, 2021 before the High Court and be brought on record and it will be thereafter for the High Court to proceed in the manner deemed appropriate qua the contempt notice as well as the application for recall,” the bench said.