Chandigarh, Jan 11 : Amrik Singh, who worked in the office of Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nirmaljit Kaur and complainant in the cash-for-judge scam, failed to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here Monday.

During the last hearing Dec 24, CBI special judge Darshan Singh had summoned Singh after CBI submitted its sealed final report in the cash-for-judge scam, which rocked this union territory in August last year, seeking cancellation of the case.

Singh's lawyer said they want some time to submit their reply in court.

During the last hearing, CBI had sought the cancellation of the case as it did not get the required sanctions to prosecute the main suspects who also include judges.

Now the next date of hearing is fixed for Feb 1.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court was hit by the scam after a packet containing Rs. 1.5 million cash was delivered Aug 13 last year at the Sector 11 residence of newly- appointed high court judge Nirmaljit Kaur. She complained to police registering an FIR.

The police later arrested the then Haryana additional advocate general Sanjeev Bansal, a property dealer Rajiv Gupta and Delhi-based hotelier Ravinder Singh in this connection.

Bansal and Gupta told the police that the money was meant for another high court judge, Nirmal Yadav. They claimed that another packet containing Rs. 1.5 million was separately delivered to Yadav at her Sector 24 official residence later on.

Yadav, who went on leave Aug 22 after her name figured in the bribery scandal, is now transferred to the Uttrakhand High Court. (IANS)