CBI court grants bail to NCLT deputy registrar arrested in bribery case

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Singh had instructed the complainant to hand over the bribe amount to his associate, Karsan Ganesh Ahir. Ahir was caught red-handed while accepting the cash

MUMBAI: A special CBI court has granted bail to Charan Pratap Singh, deputy registrar of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai bench, who was arrested in a ₹3 lakh bribery case linked to a long-pending ownership dispute.

CBI court grants bail to NCLT deputy registrar arrested in bribery case

Singh was taken into custody after he allegedly demanded ₹3.5 lakh—later negotiated down to ₹3 lakh—from a hotel owner in exchange for influencing the outcome of proceedings before an NCLT bench in the complainant’s favour. The case involving the hotel, entangled in a dispute with the owner’s brothers, has been pending since November 2020.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Singh had instructed the complainant to hand over the bribe amount to his associate, Karsan Ganesh Ahir. Ahir was caught red-handed while accepting the cash. Singh was subsequently apprehended from a Colaba residence and produced before a Mumbai sessions court on May 29.

While the CBI initially sought five days of police custody, the court remanded Singh to judicial custody until May 11. A fresh plea for police custody was later filed by the agency, citing the suspected involvement of other NCLT officials. However, the court declined the request and extended Singh’s judicial custody.

On Friday, the court allowed Singh’s bail on furnishing a personal bond and surety of ₹1 lakh. As part of his bail conditions, Singh has been directed to report to the CBI office every Monday and Thursday between 11 am and 3 pm until the investigation is complete. He has also been ordered to provide his residential details and attend all court proceedings.

“The applicant/accused shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer or tamper with any evidence,” the court said in its order. It also warned Singh against committing any similar offence while out on bail.

Singh’s lawyer, advocate Shalabh Saxena, argued that the allegations were speculative and unsupported by documentary evidence proving a demand for illegal gratification.