Rashid Masood to remain in jail as Delhi HC rejects bail plea

The Delhi high court on Friday dismissed the bail plea of disqualified Rajya Sabha member Rashid Masood serving four years' imprisonment in a case of corruption and other criminal offences.

The Delhi high court on Friday dismissed the bail plea of disqualified Rajya Sabha member Rashid Masood serving four years' imprisonment in a case of corruption and other criminal offences.

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Justice Sunita Gupta denied the relief sought by the 68-year-old Congress leader, saying the allegations against him are very serious in nature.

"Without expressing any opinion on the merit of the case, lest it would adversely affect the final outcome of the appeal, needless to say the allegations against the appellant (Masood) are very serious in nature inasmuch as the genuine candidates were deprived of the medical seats because of the appellant in conspiracy with co-accused," the court said.

Masood had sought bail and suspension of his jail-term contending that he is acutely diabetic and taking insulin several times a day besides other medicines for his ailments.

He has also submitted that the trial was going on against him for the past 17 years.

The court, however, did not consider his medical condition and said, "Masood is provided with all prescribed medication and regular treatment. A medical board has been constituted at AIIMS and from time to time, the appellant is being examined and the case has been reviewed time and again.

"Moreover, it will be open to the superintendent jail to provide the medical facilities as required and in case of need, the appellant will be at liberty to move appropriate application on medical grounds, but keeping in view the grave and serious allegations, the sentence is not liable to be suspended till the disposal of the appeal as prayed for," the judge said.

Masood also challenged the trial court's verdict convicting him and sentencing him to a four-year jail term.

He was held guilty by the trial court in September last year of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura in medical colleges across the country from the central pool as health minister in the National Front government of 1990. The court had also imposed a fine of Rs 60,000 on him.