HC grants bail to AG, 3 others in connection with bribery case

The Madras High Court today granted bail to Tamil Nadu Accountant General Arun Goyal and three others in connection with a bribery case registered by the CBI.

Justice A D Jagadish Chandra, before whom their bail petitions came up for hearing, granted the relief on condition they execute a bond for Rs 10,000 each with two sureties each for a like sum.

They should also appear before the CBI Investigating Officer here daily, he said.

Goyal, the AG, S M R Gajendran, senior accounts officer in the office of the Accountant General, Chennai, S Sivalingam and L S Raja were arrested on March 23 by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with a bribery case.

The petitioners were remanded to judicial custody for alleged offence under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (punishment for criminal conspiracy), read with various sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The prosecution case was that Goyal and Gajendran had demanded Rs 5.5 lakh as bribe for posting Sivalingam as divisional accountant in the Public Works Department in Villupuram district, a post that comes under the purview of the accountant general, Tamil Nadu.

Raja, a PWD employee, who had acquaintance with Gajendran, was facilitating the posting, the prosecution said.

Goyal's counsel submitted that his client was in no way connected with the offence and he had no clue about the alleged incident and allegations.

He was falsely implicated and then arrested just on the incriminating statement made by Gajendran to spoil the goodwill and hard earned reputation, he added.

The court then granted the bail to all the four accused, including Goyal.