M A I N   N E W S

SC denies bail to Ravi Sidhu

New Delhi, May 7
The Supreme Court today denied bail to former Punjab Public Service Commission Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu in one of the several corruption cases registered against him in connection with the job-for-money scam.

A Bench of Mr Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Mr Justice P.V. Reddy keeping his bail petition pending said, “Let the trial court complete recording evidence of two approvers in the case.”

Mr Sidhu sought bail in the case relating to the recovery of Rs 5 lakh, some ammunition and 14 bottles of costly foreign liquor from his residence in a raid on March 3, 2002.

The Court declined to pass any order on his bail application at this stage after senior counsel R.S. Cheema, appearing for the state of Punjab, submitted that his release on bail might influence the approvers in the case.

Regarding Mr Sidhu’s plea for clubbing together all cases against him, the court asked him to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where his petition in this regard was pending.

Mr Sidhu’s counsel K.T.S. Tulsi said since all cases against him were the result of the same cause of action, there should be a common trial as contemplated in the Prevention of Corruption Act. UNI