The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Rajasthan Jal Jeevan Mission scam accused Sanjay Badaya in connection with a money laundering case wherein he is alleged to have taken bribes to arrange tenders for contractors in state departments, including the Public Health and Engineering department.
A bench headed by justice Bhushan R Gavai passed the order noting that the petitioner has been in custody for five months and with charges yet to be framed, there was no possibility of the trial beginning soon.
“There is no possibility of tampering of evidence since all documentary evidence is seized by the Enforcement Directorate. Charges are yet to be framed. There are 50 witnesses to be examined, and evidence is over 8,000 pages and chances of an expeditious trial is remote,” observed the bench, also comprising justice The application for bail is allowed,” said the bench, also comprising justice KV Viswanathan.
Badaya is accused of taking bribe money worth ₹3.30 crore to facilitate contractors, who paid the amount into the bank account of his father. The complaint was initially registered by the anti-corruption bureau of Rajasthan in August 2023. The ED lodged a case the same month to probe alleged proceeds of crime. Representing the federal agency, advocate Zoheb Hossain said that the bribe amount was later used by the accused to purchase property.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Badaya along with advocate Vivek Jain, informed the court that on September 9 this year, the top court granted bail to one Peeyush Jain, another accused in the same case, against whom the allegation involves proceeds of crime worth ₹8.80 crore. He further stated that Peeyush Jain is an accused in the predicate offence, while Badaya is named accused only by ED.
{{/usCountry}}Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Badaya along with advocate Vivek Jain, informed the court that on September 9 this year, the top court granted bail to one Peeyush Jain, another accused in the same case, against whom the allegation involves proceeds of crime worth ₹8.80 crore. He further stated that Peeyush Jain is an accused in the predicate offence, while Badaya is named accused only by ED.
{{/usCountry}}The bench asked Zoheb, “What is the difference between him and Peeyush Jain?” The ED explained that the alleged proceeds of crime is not limited to the sum of ₹3 crore but another sum of ₹1.05 crore that was deposited in Badaya’s father’s account from the company linked to one of the contractors. Earlier, the Delhi high court dismissed his bail plea on November 11 noting the allegations against him, the ED argued.
The petition filed by Badaya claimed that the said amount of ₹1.05 crore was returned by his father much before the registration of FIR in the predicate offence. He was arrested on July 16 and was allowed interim bail for a short period to attend his mother’s funeral.
Badaya further claimed that the property was purchased by his father and not him, and the deal for the property stood concluded in October 2022 while the alleged bribe payments were made in December 2022 and January 2023.