SC releases accused, who couldn't comply with HC condition, on bail after 3 years

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has come to rescue of an accused, who remained incarcerated for the past nearly 3 years as he could not comply with a bail condition imposed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court directing him to deposit Rs 50 lakh with the trial court.

A bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar ordered that the petitioner be enlarged on bail without the condition imposed by the high court.

The bench allowed the special leave petition filed by the accused who was booked under Sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 and 471 of IPC by Ratlam police in 2019.

"The record discloses that the charge sheet has been filed and the trial has commenced. In these circumstances, the petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail without the condition imposed by the High Court," it said.

The impugned order passed by the High Court in January 2021, though granted bail to the accused, imposed a condition that he should deposit Rs 50 lakh with the trial court. However, he could not comply with the condition and as a consequence remained incarcerated.

In July 2023, he petitioned the Supreme Court against the decision of the MP High Court.

The FIR was registered against the petitioner on the allegations that he, being Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat, illegally granted lease of government land abusing his authority.