Demonetisation: Court grants bail to Delhi Police officer accused in cheating case

A Delhi Police officer, accused in a cheating case relating to exchange of demonetised currency, has been granted bail by a special court which said there was no likelihood that he would flee from justice.

Special Judge Poonam Chaudhry gave the relief to accused Sudhir Rathi, a Delhi Police sub inspector, while directing him to surrender his passport and not to tamper with evidence.

"Recovery has been effected from the accused and that he has been in custody since 27 November and he is no more required for custodial interrogation. Thus without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, further considering that applicant being in Delhi Police, there is no likelihood of his fleeing from justice. He is accordingly admitted to bail...," the court said.

It directed him to join the investigation as and when called by the police and released him on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of like amount.

Rathi's counsel claimed that he was not named in the FIR and that he was falsely implicated in the case and sought the relief on the ground of parity as one of the co-accused Rohit Arora has already been granted bail.

According to the police, the complainant, a cloth trader, had come to Delhi on 7 November in connection with his business with the old currency and the next day, he came to know about demonetisation of currency notes and approached one Shailender Singh through his relative for changing the old notes.

Singh told him that his sister was a bank manager and she could get the demonetised currency exchanged after which the complainant gave Rs 18 lakh to them on 17 November, it said.

The police alleged that the accused kept on delaying the payment of the amount on one pretext or the other after which an FIR was lodged. During the probe, it was found that the demonetised notes were given to Arora and two others who allegedly misappropriated it in connivance with Rathi.

The prosecution opposed Rathi's bail saying Rs 2 lakh were recovered from him and no ground was made out for grant of bail. It contended that investigation was at an initial stage and Rathi, being a police official, may hamper the probe.

-PTI