New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Thursday took note of an allegation of destruction of record in the office of Delhi Gymkhana Club and directed the preservation of CCTV footage until further orders. At the beginning of the hearing, a counsel representing the administrator of the Delhi Gymkhana Club sought adjournment stating that senior advocate Harish Salve was unavailable, as he was not keeping well. At this juncture, senior advocate C.A. Sundaram, representing a whistle-blower whose services were terminated by the club, submitted before a bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, "I have been terminated.
They are destroying evidence. People are being removed and the administrator has been changed three times." Sundaram was representing former secretary Ashish Khanna.Sundaram further added that the CCTV recording in the office must be preserved, and there should not be any harm to the recording. The bench also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar said, "There is serious grievance of destruction of evidence". The bench told the administrator's counsel that CCTV should be preserved, otherwise it would issue a direction barring administrator's entry on the premises.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on his part submitted that the Centre had appointed the administrator and the footage of the CCTV cameras will be preserved. The bench replied: "If there is a grievance, it must be addressed. What is this resistance by the administrator?" Mehta clarified that no resistance was being offered. The bench, in its order, recorded that a letter was circulated that counsel for the administrator is unwell and objection has been taken to the request for adjournment. "The apprehension is expressed that someone is trying to destroy or manipulate the record in the office for CCVTVs installed on the premises, we direct that CCTV footage is preserved from today until further orders. No request for adjournment will be entertained", said the bench.