New Delhi, May 23: A city court today denied bail to suspended DDA employee Ashok Kapoor, from whom the CBI had allegedly seized certain files of the Delhi High Court, saying it would hamper the investigation. "Granting of bail halts even the legitimate investigation in its tracks and thereby encourages persons with allegations of corruption against them," special judge Prem Kumar said dismissing Kapoor's bail plea.

CBI had apprehended kapoor from outside the office of alleged middleman Dharambir Khattar in South Delhi and seized certain high court files of a case relating to the widening of the Aruna Asaf Ali Road here from his possession.
Kapoor, the agency claimed, said the files were given to him by a lawyer by name anshu aggarwal and had to be delivered to former Delhi High Court judge Shameet Mukhherjee.

However, in court Kapoor claimed that he was an innocent carrier.

Rejecting the contention, the court said, investigation conducted so far revealed that accused was actively assisting Khattar in his various illegal designs including the one with (hotelier) Vinod Khatri, who allegedly had some interest in the case.
"Accused having found in possession of the judicial court files including the unsigned draft order, goes to show his complicity in the conspiracy," the order said.

"Involvement of accused is further clear from the tape recorded version showing that he was known to Khatri as well as Khattar and made a telephone call from the office of Khattar to Sahara restaurant (owned by Khatri) to talk to Khatri in connection with the court cases," it added.

Bureau Report