Court grants bail to GST official in bribery case

A court here has granted bail to an official of the GST division in a case of alleged bribery, saying an accused could not be kept in jail for an indefinite period because the investigation was moving at a slow pace.

Special Judge Raj Kumar Chauhan granted the relief to Goods and Services Tax (GST) Inspector Paras Goel on furnishing a personal bail bond of Rs 1 lakh with one surety of a like amount.

The court imposed certain conditions that Goel should not leave the country without its permission, tamper with the evidence in the case or threaten the prosecution witnesses in any manner.

"The investigation qua (as regards) the accused is almost complete. For slow progress in investigation, the accused cannot be kept incarcerated for an indefinite time. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and the fact that the accused was in judicial custody since his arrest, he is ordered to be released on bail," the judge said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had opposed Goel's bail plea, saying the probe was in the initial stage and he might tamper with evidence.

Goel's counsel had claimed that his client was falsely implicated in the case.

According to the prosecution, Goel had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a trading shop owner for not cancelling the registration of his business.

The complainant, Anuj Kumar, had claimed that Goel told him a part of the bribe amount would also be given to the assistant commissioner.

The complainant had approached the CBI and a case was registered against Goel.