No bail to two including ED enforcement officer in bribery case

Jaipur, March 28 (HS). The Rajasthan High Court has rejected the bail pleas of ED enforcement officer Naval Kishore Meena and another Babulal Meena, who are in judicial custody for taking a bribe of Rs 15 lakh in exchange for protection from arrest in the chit fund case. A single bench of Justice Anup Kumar Dhand gave this order while hearing the bail petitions of both the accused. The court has given liberty to both the accused that if the department does not approve the prosecution against them within four months, they can file a bail petition again. The court said that the accused have committed a crime of serious nature. In such a situation, a lenient attitude cannot be adopted towards them.

It was said in the bail petitions that the ACB had arrested the petitioners on November 2. Since then he is in judicial custody. After completing the investigation in the case, ACB has also presented the charge sheet, but the department has not yet given prosecution sanction for the case. In such a situation, the trial cannot start against him without prosecution approval. The sections under which charges have been leveled against him carry a maximum punishment of seven years only. In such a situation, he should be released on bail. Opposing this, the government lawyer said that accused ED officer Naval Kishore had asked for a bribe of Rs 17 lakh and Rs 15 lakh was recovered from co-accused Babulal Meena. An ED officer cannot be expected to commit such a crime. In such a situation, he cannot be granted bail. After hearing both the sides, the court rejected the bail petitions. It is noteworthy that the complainant had complained to the ACB that the enforcement officer Naval Kishore was demanding a bribe of Rs 17 lakh in return for not arresting him in the chit fund-related case registered against him in the ED's Imphal office. Acting on the report, ACB arrested the accused while taking fifteen lakh rupees.