Corruption case: Ex-special metropolitan magistrate gets bail

A former special metropolitan magistrate of South Delhi Municipal Corporation, arrested by CBI for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a shop owner here, was today granted bail by a Delhi court.
Special CBI judge Vinod Kumar granted bail to R P Bhatia, arrested by CBI on August 18, on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety of the like amount.
The court rejected the contentions of the agency which had opposed Bhatia's bail plea on the ground that he might tamper with evidence and win over two key prosecution witnesses who are government servants.
"Both the witnesses are public servants. Therefore, I do not find substance in the apprehension of the prosecution that accused will be able to win over those witnesses. Further, though the charge sheet has been filed but the exhibits from the CFSL will require a long time in being examined.

"Hence, accused, who is already in judicial custody for more than 60 days, cannot be kept indefinitely in jail," the court said while granting him bail.
CBI had earlier alleged that Bhatia was caught while demanding and accepting Rs 25,000 bribe from complainant Manmohan Jain, a shop owner, and the money was recovered from his bag in the presence of independent witnesses.
The accused had claimed that he was arrested while he was sitting on the dais in his court in the office of Deputy Commissioner, MCD Central Zone Lajpat Nagar here.
Bhatia was arrested in the case lodged under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.