New Delhi, May 30: A Delhi court hearing DDA scam cases today denied bail to suspended DDA employee Ashok Kapur and hoteliers and builders Pradeep Kapoor, Anil Wadhwa and Yashpal Manocha. Dismissing Kapur's plea that he has been in judicial custody for 57 days, Special Judge Prem Kumar said this alone cannot be a ground for grant of bail.

The accused would be entitled to bail only in default of the prosecution failing to file the chargesheet before the expiry of 60 days in judicial custody, the special judge said adding no right ripens in favour of him before that.

Meanwhile the court, which had rejected bail pleas of accused Pradeep, Wadhwa and Manocha on an earlier occasion also, said no fresh ground had arisen since the dismissal of their previous application.

"As the investigation is still on and there is no fresh ground or material change of circumstances to grant bail to accused persons, request for grant of bail for the present is declined," the court said.

CBI had registered an FIR against Kapur and senior DDA officials for allegedly doling out favours to a private school society here in return for illegal gratification.

The agency had also booked Wadhwa, Pradeep and Manocha - all partners in the APY hoteliers and builders group - for bribing DDA officials to prevent demolition of an unauthorised construction.

Bureau Report