BENGALURU: An accused in the illegal mining scam has alleged that former CBI director Ranjith Sinha demanded Rs 15 crore to drop charges against him.
The accused, Prem Chand Garg (51), is the managing director of Shri Lal Mahal Ltd, New Delhi, and has been evading arrest for at least two years.
The allegation was made by Garg in his bail plea moved before the High Court. In his judgment on February 16, Justice A V Chandrashekara asked Garg to approach the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged extraction of money from various accused by Sinha, while dismissing his anticipatory bail plea.
Garg’s counsel Diljit Singh Ahluwalia had argued that his client has made serious allegations against Sinha. If anticipatory bail is not granted, then the CBI would harass Garg and would scuttle his effort to substantiate the serious allegations made against Ranjith Sinha, he argued.
However, CBI counsel C H Jadhav argued that Garg and his wife have resorted to certain arm-twisting tactics by making false allegations against the CBI and its members so that they could excuse themselves from cooperating with the CBI.
Garg was accused of absconding on the pretext of a prolonged ‘business trip’ and has not appeared before the CBI or Special Court. Even his family members say they are unaware of when he will return.
Justice Chandrashekara said Garg had been evading notices and summons issued by the court as well as the CBI. “He has been in Dubai for more than five years. Without his presence and with the available materials, CBI had to file a chargesheet. What is observed by the Apex Court that normally when the accused is ‘absconding’ and declared as a ‘proclaimed offender’, the question of granting anticipatory bail does not arise.
Though Garg is not declared a “proclaimed offender” in terms of Section 82 and 83 of the CrPC, a Red Corner notice has already been issued and extradition proceedings have been initiated,” the judge noted.
He said Garg could approach the court for regular bail after surrendering before the police.
On January 13, 2015, the CBI received a communication from the Interpol’s National Control Bureau, Abu Dhabi, stating that Garg has been detained in UAE and the NCB sought for a formal extradition request through diplomatic channels.
As the extradition is in progress, Garg has finally decided to return to India after years of evading the CBI and the Special Court.