Man refunds cheated money, court gives him bail

A Delhi court has released on bail a man who was on the run for more than seven years after duping seven men of Rs 4.8 lakh on the pretext of providing them jobs in the Indian Railways.

Ram Naresh Kushwaha, declared a proclaimed offender in a case registered in December 2008, got bail on Friday from Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma.

Kushwaha's counsel said his client had returned Rs 4.8 lakh taken from Daya Shankar Singh, Hare Ram Singh, Durga Prasad Yadav, Gurcharan Manjhi, Krishna Yadav, Rajesh Kumar and Ram Sakal Yadav.

The presiding officer said Kushwaha pleaded guilty to his crime but the court could not proceed further as a co-accused, Angad Thakur, is still on the run.

The court adjourned the case sine die, adding it will be reopened with the arrest of the co-accused.

Kushwaha allegedly absconded after a first information report (FIR) was filed against him on December 18, 2008. He was later declared a proclaimed offender.

A resident of Vaishali in Bihar, he and his friend Thakur allegedly conned Daya Shankar Singh of Chhapra district in May 2006 on the pretext of providing him and six of his jobless relatives railway jobs.

Daya Shankar claimed he paid a total of Rs 4.8 lakh to Kushwaha and Thakur in three instalments.

According to the prosecution, Kushwaha did not fulfil his assurance to the complainants vis-a-vis jobs. Over time, he began avoiding Daya Shankar.

After Daya Shankar failed to get his money back, he lodged a case against the accused and Thakur with Delhi Police.

The court on February 22 ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Delhi, to file a fresh status report on the whereabouts of Thakur and Kushwaha.

The police said on July 9 that the two could not be apprehended despite repeated attempts.

Kushwaha finally surrendered in the court on August 4 and was sent to a day's judicial custody.

Kushwaha's counsel Tarun Rana told the court that his client had entered into an understanding with all the seven complainants regarding the return of their money and that he should be given bail.

The defence submitted Kushwaha's medical record to reportedly show he was ill during the time he was said to be on the run.

The court ordered Kushwaha to return the money and released him on bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and surety of like amount.

(Amiya Kumar Kushwaha can be reached at amiya.k@ians.in)

--IANS

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