Delhi excise policy case: Court grants interim bail to five accused

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday granted interim bail to former two public servants of the Excise Department -- Kuldeep Singh and Narender Singh, and three others, namely Gautam Mootha, Arun Pillai and businessman Sameer Mahendru.

All five accused were not arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) during a probe in connection with the Delhi government excise policy case.

Special Judge M.K. Nagpal granted bail to them on Rs 50,000 personal bail bond and Rs one lakh amount surety.

Moreover, the court also sought a response from the CBI on their regular bail plea and posted the matter for January 24.

The CBI had charge sheeted Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally, Sameer Mahendru, Arun Ramchandra Pillai, Mootha Gautham, and two public servants -- the then Deputy Commissioner of Excise Department Kuldeep Singh and the then Assistant Commissioner of Excise Department Narender Singh.

However, Nair and Boinpally were already granted bail earlier by the same court.

Recently, the trial court while taking cognizance of the CBI charge sheet filed against a total of seven accused, had issued summons against all accused.

Bail granted to both of them is under challenge before the HC.

Furthermore, Mahendru, Nair and Boinpally are to remain in Judicial custody as they were also arrested by the ED in an Excise Money Laundering case and their bail petition is pending before the trial court.

Earlier, Nagpal had directed the jail authorities to produce Mahandru before the court on January 5.

--IANS

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