Gidwani, 3 others get bail in Adarsh bribing case

A special CBI court on Tuesday granted bail to former Congress member of legislative council (MLC) and one of the promoters of Adarsh cooperative house society in Colaba, Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, his son Kailash, CBI retainer counsel Mandar Goswami, and JK Jagiasi, a tax consultant, in a corruption case related to the society.

A special CBI court on Tuesday granted bail to former Congress member of legislative council (MLC) and one of the promoters of Adarsh cooperative house society in Colaba, Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, his son Kailash, CBI retainer counsel Mandar Goswami, and JK Jagiasi, a tax consultant, in a corruption case related to the society.

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The CBI had arrested Gidwani, Kailash and Goswami on March 5, while Jagiasi was arrested a day before, on March 4.

According to the CBI, they were involved in a conspiracy to bribe a CBI official to keep them posted about the likely arrest of Gidwani. The former MLC had paid Rs1.25 crore to Jagiasi in installments to influence CBI officials. Goswami had allegedly received Rs25 lakh from this amount.

Jagiasi’s advocate IA Bagaria said that along with his client, Gidwani, his son Kailash and Goswami have been granted bail on a personal bond of Rs50,000 each, subject to certain conditions.

The agency had objected to the bail arguing that the investigation is in progress and releasing the accused would affect the probe. The agency had further contended that it is yet to recover petty cash books and identify the person who had sent the money through an angadia (small-time courier) to Jagiasi. The CBI had submitted that the accused are influential persons and are capable of tempering the evidence if released on bail.