Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court Thursday granted "short term bail of six months" to ailing senior IAS officer Pradeep Shukla, who is in jail in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the NRHM. The court directed CBI to release Shukla on medical grounds.
Justice Dinesh Gupta, while allowing Shukla`s bail application, made it clear that during the period the petitioner shall not leave the country without prior permission of the CBI court, "cooperate in the speedy and expeditious trial" ?and "not try to influence the witnesses".
The court also asked Shukla to produce the report of his physician or surgeon before the trial court every two months.
Earlier, the agency had opposed the bail plea on the ground that Shukla had moved a similar application earlier this year which was rejected on May 31.
However, the court pointed out that the agency "has not challenged the deteriorating medical condition" of Shukla, who had suffered a stroke in June this year following which he was admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi for about a month.
"In the interest of justice, the applicant can be enlarged on short term bail on medical ground," the court remarked.
A 1981 batch IAS officer, Shukla was the Principal Secretary for Health and Family Welfare in the state during the previous Mayawati regime when the alleged irregularities in the implementation of centrally-sponsored National Rural Health Mission scheme had taken place.
The CBI had earlier filed a charge sheet against Shukla for his alleged involvement in the irregularities in upgrading of 89 district hospitals in the state, under NRHM scheme, causing a loss of Rs 16 crore to the exchequer.
