New Delhi, November 4
The Supreme Court today granted interim bail to former Mumbai Police Commissioner Ranjitsing Brahmajeetsing Sharma 22 months after his arrest under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) for his alleged involvement in the Rs 33,000 crore Telgi fake stamp paper scam by imposing stringent conditions on his movements.
Accepting the plea of Sharma’s counsel V.R. Manohar that he should be released on interim bail till his special leave petition (SLP) against the Bombay High Court order, rejecting his bail application, was decided, a Bench of Mr Justice N Santosh Hegde and Mr Justice S B Sinha granted him interim bail till first week of December when his SLP would be listed for further hearing.
Additional Solicitor General Amrendra Sharan, appearing for the CBI, however, opposed his release from jail on the ground that it would affect the trial proceedings in the case.
But his counsel argued that no purpose would be served by keeping him in judicial custody when the investigation in the case was over. “Sharma was fabricated in the case and the allegations against him were false,” Mr Manohar claimed.
Allowing the plea of his counsel for interim bail, the apex court directed him to execute a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties of like amount before the trial court to its satisfaction to secure his release from Pune jail.
The Bench, while asking him to surrender his passport to the authorities, imposed a ban on his movements outside Pune without express permission of the court and warned him against making any attempt to contact any witness. If ever the investigating agency wanted to question him, he would fully cooperate with it, the apex court said.
