BENGALURU: Refusing to quash the two FIRs registered against absconding accused Deputy Superintendent of Police, Shridhar K Pujar, by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing the Bitcoin scam and a staff for an alleged attempt on his life when he went to arrest him, the Karnataka High Court directed Pujar to appear before the investigation officer at 9 am on May 8.
The investigation officer is at liberty to take Pujar to judicial custody and conclude the custodial investigation on the very same day before 6 pm and Pujar should cooperate with the investigation agency and at the same time, the prosecution should not indulge in extra-judicial methods while investigating the matter, the court said.
The court added that after the conclusion of the custodial investigation, Pujar should be let free by taking a bond of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties and he should appear before the investigation officer as and when called and should not in any way tamper the prosecution evidence.
Justice V Srishananda passed the order while disposing two petitions filed by Pujar questioning the two FIRs, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the matter. “In the case on hand, there is no special reason for this court to quash the FIR itself”, the court observed while noting that an arrangement needs to be made which would strike a harmonious balance between the rights of the petitioner and the need of the prosecution.
The order was passed after hearing the arguments of senior advocate Aruna Shyam appeared for the accused Pujar and Additional State Public Prosecutor B N Jagadeesh on behalf of the CID.
“It is a settled principle of law and requires no emphasis that every accused is presumed to be innocent unless the allegations levelled against him stand proved before the court of law beyond all reasonable doubts.
However, the prima- facie material would reveal that the petitioner said to be involved in helping the accused in a crime registered in the KG Nagar police station in 2020,” the court noted.
However, the court allowed another petition filed by Pujar and quashed the order of proclamation passed by the trial court against him, on account of procedural irregularities.
Pujar is at liberty to appear before the jurisdictional court and subject himself to investigation, the court added. The HC also rejected the anticipatory bail to Pujar who is not available for investigation till now since the crimes are registered.