Rao Granted Anticipatory Bail In Jmm Case

A division bench, comprising Justice Mohammed Shamim and Justice S K Mahajan, granted anticipatory bail to Rao in the Rs 3.5 crore bribery case till November 20 when Raos application for anticipatory bail would be decided on merit. The bench ordered that till November 20, if Rao was arrested either by the police or at the instance of the trial court, he (Rao) would be released on a personal bond of Rs one lakh and a surety in the like amount.

In the St. Kitts forgery case, Justice S K Mahajan granted interim bail to Rao pending the pronouncement of the final order on his bail application. Justice Mahajan said during the interim bail period if Rao was arrested he would be released on a personal bond of Rs one lakh.

Others also got similar relief in both the cases along with Rao. In the JMM case, the division bench granted the same relief on the anticipatory bail applications of Satish Sharma, who was chargesheeted along with Rao, Buta Singh and four JMM leaders Suraj Mandal, Shibu Soren, Shailendra Mahato and Simon Marandi.

In the St. Kitts case, former Union minister K K Tewary was also granted interim bail.

Rao is scheduled to appear before the trial court in the JMM case on November 13 and has been directed to surrender before the other trial court, hearing the St Kitts forgery case on or before November 14.

The special judge, Ajit Bharihoke, after taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the CBI in the bribery case had issued summons to Rao and other accused excepting the four JMM leaders who were arrested on September five by CBI.

The authorities in the high security Tihar jail, where the arrested leaders were lodged in judicial custody, were directed to produce them before the court on the same date.

In the St Kitts case, the chief metropolitan magistrate, Prem Kumar, taking cognisance of the chargesheet had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Rao and other accused.

However, the High Court had granted Rao anticipatory bail till his appearance before the trial court.

In the meantime, the Supreme Court, on a petition by K L Verma, former enforcement director accused in the St Kitts case, said even if the bail application of an accused gets rejected by the trial court he would not be arrested for seven days.

The CMM had while rejecting the bail applications of Rao and Tewary and cancelling the standing anticipatory bail granted to Chandraswami and Mamaji by the Delhi High Court in July 1990, directed Rao and Tewari to surrender before the court by November 14.

Chandraswami and Mamaji are at present in judicial custody in a Fera violation case.