Mumbai: A special CBI court today granted bail to five persons, including serving Army Brigadier Anuj Kainthla, in connection with the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) scam.
Besides Kainthla, the joint general manager from CSD, Bikas Ranjan Daschaudhary, another joint general manager who holds a rank equivalent to Brigadier, Milind Govilkar of Sankalp Consumer Products Private Limited (SCPPL) and his two employees, Vikas Harer and Manohar Vibhute, were granted the relief.
According to CBI, the SCPPL allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with some CSD officials and manipulated demands for the merchandise in favour of Sankalp`s clients.
While Kainthla took decisions in favour of SCPPL, the CSD officials favoured the firm at various stages, such as introduction of items, price revision, delayed and excess supply.
According to CBI, Kainthla had accepted a bribe of Rs 7.5 lakh from SCPPL and allegedly used it to purchase a house at Panchkula in Punjab.
The accused moved Special CBI Court seeking bail on ground that they were being wronly implicated in the case.
However, the CBI challenged the bail saying that the accused could influence the CSD witnesses.
The agency told the court that the results of the voice samples of accused are yet to arrive while contending that the telephonic conversations between Kainthala and Govilkar could prove a clinching evidence against the accused.
However, the court granted bail to the accused saying custodial interrogation is not necessary at this stage.
CBI said on July 3 that it arrested Kainthla for accepting illegal gratification from SCPPL, while the other four accused had been apprehended two days back.
PTI
