Graft Case: Punjab and Haryana High Court grants bail to AIG Ashish Kapoor

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Chandigarh, May 30

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today granted bail to Assistant Inspector General of Police Ashish Kapoor after taking note of the fact that he had been behind the bars for more than seven months. Bail was also granted to another accused in the matter.

Kapoor and another petitioner – a police official -were seeking bail in a case registered on October 6, 2022, under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act at the Vigilance Bureau police station, Flying Squad, Mohali.

It was alleged that Kapoor had taken Rs 1 crore from some persons. Allowing the plea, Justice Gurvinder Singh Gill asserted it was undoubtedly correct that specific allegations had been levelled against the accused and the police claimed to have collected sufficient evidence to establish the allegations. However, the court could not lose sight of the fact that the petitioners had been behind the bars for a substantial period of about seven and a half months. The trial had not even commenced till date inasmuch as charges had not been framed for want of sanction in respect of one of the accused.

“In these circumstances, the petitioners cannot be kept behind the bars for an indefinite period. Both petitions, as such, are accepted and the petitioners are ordered to be released on regular bail on furnishing bail bonds/surety bonds…,” Justice Gill added.