Bhardwaj murder case: HC grants interim bail to accused

NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court today granted one month interim bail to Nitesh Bhardwaj, facing trial for allegedly killing his billionaire father and BSP leader Deepak Bhardwaj, to enable him undergo a brain tumour surgery.

Justice I S Mehta granted the relief to the accused after perusing the reports of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Fortis hospital here, which said that Bhardwaj requires to undergo Stereotactic Radiosurgery ( SRS) which is a non-surgical radiation therapy used to treat functional abnormalities and small tumors of the brain.

The hospitals' response came on the court's query made two days ago on the accused's plea seeking interim bail on medical grounds.

The court enlarged Bhardwaj on interim bail subject to furnishing a bond of Rs 25,000 with one surety of like amount. It also restrained him from leaving Delhi or the country without prior permission of the court concerned.

The police had opposed his plea for interim bail saying he might escape if he gets out.

Bhardwaj, 36, Deepak Bhardwaj's younger son, was arrested in April 2013 for his father's murder at a Delhi farmhouse on March 26, the same year.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader was gunned down by contract killers Sunil Mann alias Sonu and Purushottam Rana alias Monu at his 35-acre farmhouse in south Delhi. He was one of the richest candidates in the 2009 Lok Sabha election, having declared assets worth Rs 600 crore.

The six arrested individuals in the case so far are Nitesh Bhardwaj, Shehrawat, a lawyer-cum-property dealer, Purshottam Rana alias Monu and Sunil Mann, the two shooters, Amit, driver of the car used by the alleged killers, and Rakesh, the car owner.