A Delhi court on Friday reserved its order on the bail applications of five accused in a corruption case related to the Delhi government’s alleged excise policy scam.
Special Judge M K Nagpal, who had granted the interim relief to the five accused in January, reserved the order on their regular bail application for February 28.
The five accused — Sameer Mahendru, Mootha Goutam, Arun Ramchandra Pillai and two former Excise Department officials Kuldeep Singh and Narender Singh — were granted interim bail on January 3 after they appeared before the court in pursuance to the summoned issued by the judge after taking cognizance of the CBI charge sheet filed against seven accused.
These five accused were not arrested by the CBI during the investigation, the court noted.
“Arguments have been heard on the pending bail applications of Kuldeep Singh, Narender Singh, Arun Ramchandra Pillai, Mootha Goutam and Sameer Mahendru. List the matter now for consideration/orders on the bail applications on February 28, 2023,” the judge said.
Two accused, Vijay Nair and Abhishek Boinpally, were earlier granted bail by the court.
The court also passed certain directions to the CBI on applications filed on behalf of some of the accused persons seeking supply of some deficient and legible copies.
“Copies of these applications have been given to the IO (investigating officer) and though, it is being stated on behalf of CBI that all legible copies to the best possible extent stand already supplied, but still IO is being directed to supply again one set of the deficient as well legible copies requested by all the above accused in hard as well as soft form within seven days from today,” the judge said.
The court on Thursday dismissed the bail applications of Vijay Nair, Sameer Mahendru, Sharath Reddy, Abhishek Boinpally and Benoy Babu in a scam-related money laundering case, being probed by the ED, noting it was not possible to hold that they will make no attempt to tamper with the evidence if released.
The money laundering case stems from a CBI FIR.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other excise department officials were named as accused in the CBI and the ED FIRs.
