SC refuses to interfere with HC order dismissing bail plea of Sanjiv Bhatt

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with the March 7 order of the Gujarat High Court which had rejected the bail plea of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt in connection with a two-decade-old drug seizure case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi noted that the high court had already granted liberty to Bhatt, who is in jail since September last year, to approach again for relief in case the trial does not conclude within a period of six months.

"In view of the liberty granted to the petitioner (Bhatt) by the high court in paragraph 38.3 of the order that if the trial does not get concluded within the period of six months, the applicant shall be at liberty to approach this court once again, we are not inclined to interfere," the bench, which also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna, said.

"The special leave petition is, accordingly, disposed of," the bench said, adding, "We make it clear that we have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case."