Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday granted bail to Punjab assistant inspector general (AIG) of police Ashish Kapoor and assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Harvinder Singh in a bribery case.
The court of justice Gurvinder Singh Gill said the duo be released on a regular bail after furnishing bail bonds to the satisfaction of the trial court.
The Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) had on October 6 last year arrested Kapoor for allegedly taking a bribe of ₹1 crore through different cheques for allegedly helping a woman in a criminal case. Kapoor was then posted as the commandant, 4th IRB, Pathankot. He is currently lodged in the Patiala jail.
While granting bail, the court observed: “The accused has been behind bars for more than seven months and the trial has not commenced to date and even charges have not been framed for want of sanction in respect of one accused.”
The court allowed the bail saying that the accused cannot be kept behind bars for an indefinite period.
{{/usCountry}}The court allowed the bail saying that the accused cannot be kept behind bars for an indefinite period.
{{/usCountry}}In its chargesheet submitted on December 3 under Section 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the bureau had submitted that Kapoor had taken 11 cheques from the woman’s family. Though the chargesheet has been filed, the trial is yet to begin.
The petitioner’s counsel had pleaded that Kapoor was implicated falsely in the case. While opposing the bail, the complainant’s counsel pointed out that the FSL report pertaining to matching of voice samples has been received that clearly indicts the accused. The court was also apprised that there is a video that showed Kapoor hitting the victim.
Kapoor is also an accused in a rape case though the proceedings of the case have been stayed by the high court.