Apex court asks CBI to reply to Vectra chief's plea

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its response to a petition of Vectra Group chairman Ravinder Kumar Rishi, facing a probe in the Tatra truck deal, for permission to go abroad for medical treatment.

An apex court bench of Justice Altamas Kabir ans Justice J. Chelameswar permitted the investigating agency to file its reply to a plea by Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval, seeking time to file his response.

Ravinder Kumar Rishi of the Vectra Group is embroiled in a scam relating to the army' import of the all-terrain Tatra trucks.

The court also permitted senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi to file a rejoinder to the CBI's reply.

In an attempt to dispel any misgivings about Rishi's intentions, Rohtagi told the court that the petitioner had a lot of assets in the country and would abide by any condition tagged to the permission to go to Britain for treatment.

The court would next hear the matter Aug 7.