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HC grants anticipatory bail to JMM leaders in assets case
New Delhi, Nov 21: The Delhi High Court today granted anticipatory bail to three former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MPs in the Disproportionate Assets case registered by CBI in connection with the MPs bribery case.
New Delhi, Nov 21: The Delhi High Court today granted anticipatory bail to three former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MPs in the Disproportionate Assets case registered by CBI in connection with the MPs bribery case.
The three JMM leaders -- Suraj Mandal, Shibu Soren and Simon Marandi -- continued to be on interim bail after the case was registered by CBI on November 16, 2000 for allegedly acquiring assets disproportionate to their known sources of income in 1993. This included cash deposits of over Rs 1.5 crore in their accounts in Punjab National Bank at Narauji Nagar here.
Their interim bail was converted into anticipatory bail by Justice J D Kapoor.
The CBI had registered the case following a direction by a special court here, while convicting former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao and his cabinet colleague Buta Singh in the JMM MPs bribery case on October 12, 2000, holding that the CBI had failed to establish the source of the money.
Though the CBI had during JMM bribery case trial claimed that the money deposited in the bank was the gratification to the three MPs for their voting in favour of the Rao government during July 1993 no-confidence motion, the special judge held that the agency failed to place evidence in this regard.
Rao and Singh have since been acquitted by the Delhi High Court, which disbelieved the confessional statement of fourth JMM leader Shailendra Mahato, who had admitted that he was given Rs 40 lakh as bribe. The three JMM leaders were earlier discharged after the Supreme Court's ruling that an MP could not be tried for a vote cast in Parliament.
Bureau Report
The three JMM leaders -- Suraj Mandal, Shibu Soren and Simon Marandi -- continued to be on interim bail after the case was registered by CBI on November 16, 2000 for allegedly acquiring assets disproportionate to their known sources of income in 1993. This included cash deposits of over Rs 1.5 crore in their accounts in Punjab National Bank at Narauji Nagar here.
Their interim bail was converted into anticipatory bail by Justice J D Kapoor.
The CBI had registered the case following a direction by a special court here, while convicting former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao and his cabinet colleague Buta Singh in the JMM MPs bribery case on October 12, 2000, holding that the CBI had failed to establish the source of the money.
Though the CBI had during JMM bribery case trial claimed that the money deposited in the bank was the gratification to the three MPs for their voting in favour of the Rao government during July 1993 no-confidence motion, the special judge held that the agency failed to place evidence in this regard.
Rao and Singh have since been acquitted by the Delhi High Court, which disbelieved the confessional statement of fourth JMM leader Shailendra Mahato, who had admitted that he was given Rs 40 lakh as bribe. The three JMM leaders were earlier discharged after the Supreme Court's ruling that an MP could not be tried for a vote cast in Parliament.
Bureau Report