Ratul Puri gets bail in ₹685cr fertiliser scam

The court released Ratul Puri, the nephew of Congress leader Kamal Nath, on a bail bond of ₹5 lakh and one surety of the same amount

New Delhi A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to Ratul Puri, the nephew of Congress leader Kamal Nath, in a money laundering case linked to an alleged fertiliser scam in which ₹685 crore is purported to have been paid as kickbacks.

Other conditions of the bail were that Ratul Puri shall not leave the country without prior permission of the court, and shall not tamper with evidence or influence any witnesses related to the case.

In its order, the court released Puri on a bail bond of ₹5 lakh and one surety of the same amount. Other conditions of the bail were that Puri shall not leave the country without prior permission of the court, and shall not tamper with evidence or influence any witnesses related to the case.

Vikas Dhull, special judge CBI, noted that when the accused is charge sheeted without an arrest, there can be no arrest at the instance of the court.

According to the Enforcement Directorate, the fertiliser scam case, also involving Rashtriya Janata Dal Rajya Sabha member Amarendra Dhari Singh and IFFCO managing director and CEO US Awasthi, relates to illegal commissions worth over ₹685 crore, allegedly paid to Awasthi’s NRI sons, Indian Potash Ltd managing director PS Gahlaut, and some others by overseas suppliers during the period 2007-14.

Puri is also an accused in cases related to the AgustaWestland chopper and Moser Baer scams.