New Delhi: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Friday granted bail to Rabri Devi, the former Bihar chief minister, and her two daughters – Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav- in the Railways land-for-jobs scam.
The three were granted relief after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated that it needed time to file arguments on their regular bail application.
According to reports, they were called upon by the court following its acknowledgment of a chargesheet submitted by the ED. During the proceedings, the court asked the agency why it needed the accused’s custody when it had not arrested them during its investigation. Although the accused were not apprehended during the investigation, a formal response might still be necessary, it added.
“… They had submitted their bail applications which were argued. Keeping in view the parameters of Satender Antil passed by the SC, we had said that the three were entitled to bail because they were not arrested during the trial… The next hearing will be held on February 28 after they file the reply to the bail applications… These were the first summons issued to the accused and they appeared after the first summons… Rs 1 lakh has been paid as surety bond and personal bond,” counsel for accused, Advocate Maninder Singh, told ANI.
The ED has submitted a charge sheet comprising 4,751 pages, naming a total of seven individuals, including two companies, as defendants in the money laundering case.
