India, Oct. 2 -- A special court on Wednesday allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to rely on statements of 14 witnesses in a separate but connected case to prosecute fugitive diamantaire and Winsome Diamonds promoter Jatin R Mehta and others over an alleged Rs.146.35-crore loss to Canara Bank.

Special judge Nitin V Jiwane permitted the CBI to include the statements of the 14 witnesses, recorded before a magistrate in 2018, in the charge-sheet in the present case, saying recording of their statements afresh would duplicate judicial time and effort.

The CBI had sought the court's permission to rely on statements recorded in a separate case registered in June 2016, based on a complaint by Canara Bank against Mehta, directors ...