CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday granted bail to editor-in-chief of Odia daily ‘Mahabharat’ and online news portal ‘Reporter Today’ Surjit Kumar Dhal who was in custody for allegedly duping a real estate businessman of Rs 1 crore.
Dhal was in custody since January 6 this year. The designated court under the Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (OPID) Act, Cuttack rejected his bail application on January 12.
However, the single judge bench of Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra directed the release of Dhal on bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh with two local solvent sureties each for the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial court.
Justice Mohapatra further directed, “The petitioner (Surjit Kumar Dhal) shall also furnish a cash security of Rs 10 lakh before the trial court over the matter, which shall be kept in any nationalised bank in interest-bearing account initially for a period of one year which will be renewable from time to time till conclusion of trial and the same shall be abiding by the final outcome of the trial of the case.”
While granting bail Justice Mohapatra in the order also said, “The broad allegation as has been understood by this court from a careful reading of the record is that the informant had paid a sum of Rs 1 crore to the petitioner, out of which, a sum of Rs 10 lakhs was transferred to the account of the petitioner and the balance Rs 90 lakhs was paid in cash. The purpose of such payment of the amount is to get certain works like getting approval in clearances from the government agencies/authorities by the petitioner by using his proximity and contact with some highly placed government officials.”
This court at this juncture restrains itself making any observation on the factual aspect of the case as the same would likely cause prejudice in the mind of the trial court while conducting the trial, Justice Mohapatra said.
“However, taking into consideration the surrounding facts and circumstances, the gravity of the allegation made in the FIR, the period of custodial detention as well as the fact that the petitioner does not have any criminal antecedent, this court is inclined to release the petitioner on bail subject to certain stringent conditions,” he added.