Delhi HC seeks CBI’s reply on bail pleas of accused in cash-for-post railway bribery case

The Delhi High Court today sought the CBI's reply on the bail pleas of former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew Vijay Singla and three others in the Rs10 crore cash-for-post bribery case.

Justice Hima Kohli issued the notice to the CBI and posted for 30 August the bail pleas of Singla, suspended Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar, MD of Bangalore-based G G Tronics India Pvt Ltd Narayan Rao, Manjunath and alleged middleman Sandeep Goyal.

The counsel for all the four accused told the court that the charges in the matter had already been filed within 60 days of arrest and there was nothing left to be probed and the accused, therefore, deserved to be granted bail.

Seeking an early hearing, the counsel submitted that the only ground on which they had been denied bail by the trial court was the apprehension of tampering with the evidence.

All the recoveries had been made and the statements of all the witnesses had been recorded, so there was nothing left to be done, according to the lawyers.

The lawyers argued that they had requested the court to give them an early hearing, as the accused would be in jail for so long as the charges were filed.

Meanwhile, the Delhi court today extended till 24 July the judicial custody of nine accused in the case.

Nine accused, including Singla and then member (staff) of Railway Board, Mahesh Kumar, were produced before the court following the expiry of their judicial custody with special CBI judge Swarana Kanta Sharma extending it till 24 July.

The court had earlier dismissed the bail pleas of the nine accused by the CBI.

An alleged middleman Ajay Garg, who had been accused of being instrumental in fixing the bribe amount for getting a favourable post for Kumar, was granted bail by the court on 8 July.

In its charges filed on 2 July, the CBI had alleged that Singla had demanded Rs10 crore from Mahesh Kumar for his appointment as member (electrical).

According to the agency, it was decided between the accused that Rs5 crore would be paid before the appointment and the rest of the money after the completion of the job.

On 12 July, the court had dismissed the bail plea of seven accused in the case, saying they could tamper with the evidence or influence witnesses, if released on bail.

All the 10 accused face charges of criminal conspiracy under the IPC and relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.