The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Vineet Dhattarwal, a customs superintendent arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a bribery case involving clearance of an import consignment at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).
Justice N R Borkar, while granting bail, noted that Dhattarwal had already spent nearly two months in judicial custody and that further detention was unnecessary as the investigation had been completed. “Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, I am inclined to release the applicant on bail,” the court observed in its order signed and uploaded on Monday.
Dhattarwal was arrested on January 7 by the CBI’s Mumbai unit following allegations of demanding a ₹4 lakh bribe, later reduced to ₹2.5 lakh, from a Gujarat-based firm to facilitate clearance of a chemical consignment imported from Dubai. His earlier bail plea was rejected by a court in Alibag on January 16.
The CBI registered the FIR on November 21, 2024, acting on a complaint filed by a representative of a Vadodara-based chemical importing firm. The complainant alleged that Dhattarwal, through a co-accused, sought the bribe for expediting the consignment’s release.
According to the CBI, Dhattarwal had intentionally delayed the shipment and sent samples of the imported chemical for testing. Although the customs laboratory later cleared the consignment, the alleged bribe demand had already been made.
Arguing for bail, Dhattarwal’s counsel, Dr. Sujay Kantawala, claimed his client was innocent and played only a limited role in the process. The lawyer emphasized that all final decisions in such matters are taken by the Commissioner of Customs, and the superintendent has no independent authority to release shipments.
The High Court accepted the argument that Dhattarwal’s continued detention was unwarranted, especially after completion of the probe. He was released on bail following the court’s order.
