Court denies anticipatory bail to Assistant Professor

A Delhi court has refused to protect an Assistant Professor from possible arrest in a case of allegedly writing to the Prime Minister's Office on a forged letter head for action in a matter.

Special Judge O P Saini dismissed the anticipatory bail application of GM Govindappa, noting that as many as 48 fake letterheads were recovered from him, he had not joined investigation and a non-bailable warrant has been issued against him.

"Asking PMO (Prime Minister's Office) to take action in a matter by writing a letter on a forged letter head is a serious matter and the entire truth is required to be unearthed," the court said, while also noting that the accused was also involved in a previous such case in Karnataka.

In his anticipatory bail application, the accused had claimed innocence and said that there was no evidence against him.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police had opposed his bail plea alleging that in a raid conducted at Govindappa's residence, 48 fake letter heads were recovered.

Govindappa had made co-accused K Somashekar write a letter to the PMO on a fake letter head, it alleged, adding that he had also appointed Somashekar to a non-existent post after charging him Rs 13 lakh.

According to the police, Somashekar had written to the PMO in August 2016 on a letter head of Indian Council of National Affairs (ICNA) which showed him to be Director (Public Grievances), Minister of Home Affairs, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India.

In the letter, he had complained to the PMO that a petrol pump in Bangalore was granted licence in violation of the Petroleum Rules and action may be taken in the matter, including its closure.

When the letter reached the PMO, the officers there got suspicious about its authenticity and referred it to the police which found it to be fake.

The police found that the post of Director Public Grievances, in the Indian Council of National Affairs was arranged for K Somashekar by Govindappa after charging Rs 13 lakh from him.