New Delhi [India], September 25 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Chhattisgarh's suspended IAS officer Saumya Chaurasia in a money laundering case observing that she has been in custody for a long time.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan granted bail to Saumya Chaurasia observing that she has already underwent custody for one year and nine months and charges against the accused in the case are yet to be framed.
Some of her co-accused have already been released on interim bail, the top court noted. "The High Court has observed that the charges could not be framed due to non-execution of non-bailable warrants against some of the accused persons, who have failed to appear before the Trial Court etc however, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, and with a view to give an opportunity for elaborate hearing to the parties on the next date of hearing, we direct, as an interim measure, to release the petitioner on interim bail, subject to her furnishing bail bonds to the satisfaction of the Trial Court" the top court said.
The top court also made it clear that Chaurasia should not be re-instated in service due to being out on interim bail and remain on suspension till further orders.
"However, the State Government is directed not to reinstate the petitioner in service merely because she has been released on interim bail. The petitioner shall continue under suspension till further orders," the top court said.
The top court also said that Chaurasia shall attend court proceedings and cooperate in the trial. The court also directed her not to try to influence witnesses or tamper with evidence and to surrender her passport. The top court also directed her not to leave the country without the permission of the court.
During the hearing, the top court also raised questions on the low conviction rate in cases being probed by the Enforcement Directorate. The court has listed the matter for further hearing on October 25 for hearing Chaurasia's appeal challenging the Chhattisgarh High Court order which rejected her bail plea. ED has opposed her appeal.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju appeared for ED while senior advocate Siddhartha Dave and advocate Pallavi Sharma represented Chaurasia in the matter.
Saumya Chaurasia was arrested in December 2022 in a money laundering case linked to the alleged coal levy scam. Chaurasia has challenged the Chhattisgarh High Court order which rejected her bail plea.