India News | Fertiliser Scam: HC Grants Bail to RJD MP Amarendra Dhari Singh in Money Laundering Case

New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Thursday granted bail to RJD Rajya Sabha MP Amarendra Dhari Singh in a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to an alleged fertiliser scam.

The high court granted the relief to Singh, who has been in judicial custody since June 2, on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh and a surety of the like amount.

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“Therefore, in view of the entire facts and circumstances, I am of the considered opinion, that the petitioner is entitled to be released on bail on merits as well as on medical grounds. Accordingly, the petitioner shall be released on bail…,” Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar said.

The high court imposed various conditions on him, including that he shall not leave the country without permission of the special court, the passport if already not deposited, shall be deposited with the court.

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It also directed him to join the investigation, if required by the prosecuting agency and shall not influence the prosecution witnesses directly or remotely.

While Singh sought bail on medical grounds, the plea was opposed by the ED which said the allegations against him were serious and he was allegedly involved in money laundering which is a serious economic offence.

The high court noted that Singh was even allowed to travel abroad by it twice subject to conditions despite the opening of look out circular (LOC) against him and the registration of the FIR by the CBI and said that he cannot be said to be a flight risk.

“Moreover, nothing has been placed on record that the petitioner/accused (Singh) is a flight risk nor much emphasis was laid on this during the argument,” it said.

The court further said no doubt the condition of Singh was not serious and do not require immediate attention and his present condition is manageable, but one also cannot lose sight of the fact that he is a known case of cancer and is suffering from various diseases for which he is taking medicines.

The petition said the complaint dates back to April 2013 and the CBI registered and FIR for the alleged offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy under the IPC and under the Prevention of Corruption Act in May 2021.

Pursuant to the registration of the FIR, a search/raid was conducted at Singh's residence and office premises on May 19 this year in which he and his employees duly cooperated.

The next day, that is May 20, the ED also registered a case against him and between May 20 and June 2, when he was arrested, no summons were issued to him to join the investigation.

The case pertains to an alleged fertiliser scam linked to the IFFCO and India Potash Limited (IPL), in which the CBI had registered a corruption case last month. Singh is stated to be the senior vice president of a firm involved in the case, identified as Jyoti Trading Corporation.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)