New Delhi: The Supreme Court on August 7 directed Patna Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to hand over former Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav his passport for getting it renewed but said unless he files an undertaking regarding continuance of trial in fodder scam cases, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief would not be permitted to go to Pakistan.

The matter would be heard again on August 8.

The Court repeatedly asked Yadav's counsel "what is in the interest of justice that we should dispense with the presence of the former Bihar Chief Minister when the trial of the fodder scam cases is going on?"

Singh said that his client was ready to give an undertaking to the effect that the trial would continue in his absence and that he, in future, would not dispute the evidence recorded by courts during the period of his visit to Pakistan.

The Apex Court pointed out that such an undertaking should have accompanied the application seeking permission to go abroad but permitted Singh to file it during the course of the day so that the matter could be taken up on August 8.

However, the Bench made it clear that "we will not pass any order till an undertaking is given and we peruse it."

At this point, Singh said that the passport deposited with CBI on the direction of the Court has expired while in the custody of the investigating agency and had to be renewed.

When he pleaded that a very short time was left for the scheduled departure of the delegation of Parliamentarians and media persons to Pakistan, the Court agreed for the release of the passport for its renewal.

Yadav is part of the delegation visiting Pakistan on an invitation from South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), which is organising a programme for exchange of ideas between people of the two countries in a bid to normalise relations between the two countries.

PTI