The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has granted bail to businessman Rajesh Bothra in connection with the multi-crore Rotomac “scam” case. Presiding over the matter, Justice Rajiv Singh observed that the trial in the case is likely to be prolonged, providing the primary basis for allowing the petitioner’s bail application on Tuesday.
The case, investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), involves allegations against Rotomac Exim Private Limited and its promoters. According to the federal agency, the company and its associates allegedly defrauded a bank by obtaining credit facilities through the use of forged documents, false bills of lading, and fabricated transactions. These credit facilities subsequently resulted in defaults on repayments. An FIR in the matter was formally lodged by the CBI in 2020.
Appearing for Rajesh Bothra, Senior Advocate Gaurav Mehrotra argued that his client had been falsely implicated in the scam. He submitted that Bothra had maintained full cooperation with the investigation at every stage, including during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the defense highlighted that Bothra is already on bail in other related matters and has not violated any conditions imposed by those courts.
Opposing the bail plea, CBI counsel Anurag Kumar Singh contended that Bothra played a “crucial role” in the alleged fraud. The prosecution alleged that the businessman utilized his companies to carry out transactions specifically designed to mislead the bank and facilitate the financial irregularities.
After hearing the rival contentions, the court took note of the fact that the accused was not arrested by the CBI during the course of the investigation. Justice Rajiv Singh further observed that there was no material presented before the court to suggest any misuse of liberty or bail by the applicant.
The court emphasized the procedural status of the case, noting the “likelihood of a delay in the trial.” Considering these factors, alongside the petitioner’s history of cooperation with the investigating agency, the High Court directed that Rajesh Bothra be released on bail.
