The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed its notification to shift the trial of the 2G spectrum case to the Tihar jail court complex from its present venue of the Patiala House Court complex.

This followed the accused, their lawyers and relatives opposing the High Court notification on November 21 regarding shifting of the trial. Earlier in the day, counsel for the accused had moved the High Court against the notification.

Citing the notification, the Special Judge, Mr O.P. Saini, said on Tuesday that, “...from November 24, the trial shall be held at Tihar (jail) Court Complex.”

After hearing the defence lawyers, the High Court administrative committee led by the Acting Chief Justice Mr A.K. Sikri said the notification will not come into effect and added that the trial will carry on at the Patiala House Court complex until some other arrangement has been made.

According to legal sources, the committee said a group comprising the High Court judges, the Patiala House court judge-in-charge, Special Judge Mr O.P. Saini, the Registrar General of the High Court and lawyers will look into the possibility of shifting the trial to a larger courtroom at the Patiala court complex itself.

The sources said the committee could also look at shifting the proceedings to Pragati Maidan or Vigyan Bhawan, which, like Patiala House court complex, are also at the heart of the city. However, Tihar jail court complex is at some distance from the heart of the city. This had prompted the defence lawyers to say that the move would cause inconvenience to all.

They said the case was only regarding an alleged economic offence and not concerning any terrorist activity that has security implications.

The lawyers and the judge were earlier insisting only on a larger court room in the Patiala House court complex itself as the present venue was not large enough to accommodate all those who are attending the proceedings.

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