Businessman Abhishek Verma on Saturday did not appear before a Delhi court for recording of his evidence in a cheating-cum-defamation case lodged by him against his US partner as the day was fixed for his meeting with his wife in jail.
Abhishek Verma, who is in Tihar Jail along with his Romanian wife following their arrest for allegedly bribing unknown officials to stall the government”s blacklisting proceedings of a Swiss arms firm, told the court through his counsel that he cannot appear on Saturday as this is a day, fixed for him to meet his wife in jail.
“He (Verma) cannot come for recording of his evidence in the case as per the courts direction, as he has to meet his wife. The jail authorities have allowed him to meet his wife only on Saturday,” the counsel for Verma informed Metropolitan Magistrate Surya Malik Grover.
Taking note of the counsel’s submissions, the court fixed August 13 as the next date of hearing in the case.The court had taken cognisance of Abhishek Verma”s complaint on July 4 and had fixed July 21 for recording of his pre-summoning evidence.
Presently Abhishek Verma and his wife is in jail for allegedly receiving money from a Swiss arms firm to stall blacklisting proceedings against it by the Indian government.Verma is also an accused in the Naval War Room leak case in which official secrets were leaked to foreign companies.Ravi Shankaran, kin of former naval chief Arun Prakash, is also an accused in this case.
Abhishek Verma, in his complaint, had alleged that his US-based business partner C Edmonds Allen, an American attorney, and Delhi-based Arjun Arora had duped him of Rs 55 crore, which was to be paid to him in lieu of his consultancy services to them.
