The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to Satpal Singh Chabra, the alleged mastermind behind a major corruption scandal involving the diversion of welfare funds in Chhattisgarh.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana, ordered Chabra’s release. The bench directed that his bail terms be settled by the local trial court, which has also been authorized to impose further restrictions as necessary.
Senior advocate Shoeb Alam, representing Chabra, successfully argued for relief by pointing to the release of several other individuals implicated in the case. Chief among them is retired Chhattisgarh-cadre IAS officer Anil Tuteja, whom the court previously designated as the primary accused.
The bench acknowledged this precedent, pointing out that Tuteja was granted bail on May 18, 2026. Tuteja was arrested in connection with the DMF case on February 23, 2026, after having been jailed since January 24, 2024, on a separate series of corruption charges.
Bribery Allegations And Fund Diversion
Chabra is accused of receiving Rs 5 crore in illegal gratification to secure contracts under the state’s District Mineral Fund (DMF).
The wider DMF scandal involves systemic embezzlement and the diversion of resources designed to help local populations affected by mining operations. Investigators allege that funds meant for community welfare were instead funneled into private hands through corrupt contract allocations.
