The Delhi High Court has granted bail to the son of a former CMD of Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS) in a corruption case, following the recovery of significant funds by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
New Delhi [India], June 29: The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Gaurav Singhal, the son of a former CMD of Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited (WAPCOS), in a corruption case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recovered Rs 38 crores during a raid and registered a case of disproportionate assets. After his earlier bail was dismissed by the trial court on May 29, 2023, the vacation bench of Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju granted him bail on June 28.
Justice Ganju cited settled law that bail should not be withheld if the accused is entitled to it and highlighted the petitioner’s family background and lack of criminal antecedents. The court acknowledged that the electronic data and devices have already been seized by the CBI and noted the availability of documents and evidence related to the case.
The petitioner is accused of abetting his father, who allegedly committed criminal misconduct and acquired assets disproportionate to his income during his tenure as CMD of WAPCOS. The petitioner had been in custody for 52 days, and his continued incarceration was adversely affecting his professional career.
Senior advocate Mohit Mathur, representing the accused, argued that the arrest was illegal and violated the procedures outlined in Section 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). It was contended that the petitioner should not have been arrested without a preliminary inquiry before the registration of the FIR.
Furthermore, the defense asserted that the allegations of abetment pertain to a period almost three years after the petitioner’s father’s retirement from WAPCOS. They argued that the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act) have been wrongly invoked against the petitioner, who is neither a public servant nor associated with any public or government body.
The petitioner, currently employed as Deputy General Manager at Maruti Suzuki Ltd., has a stable professional career that is being adversely affected by his continued incarceration.
In opposition to the bail application, the Special Public Prosecutor for the CBI highlighted the substantial sums of money, including Rs 38,38,79,700 in cash, that were confiscated during the investigation. They also alleged non-disclosure of the exact number of lockers owned by the petitioner’s family and emphasized the seizure of large amounts of cash and foreign currency from the premises of the petitioner’s family members.
The Delhi High Court, taking into consideration the circumstances and arguments presented, granted bail to Gaurav Singhal. The court’s decision was based on the principles of bail and the specific facts of the case, including the petitioner’s family background, lack of criminal antecedents, and the availability of seized evidence.
