CBI opposes Jagdish Tytler's bail in forgery case

NEW DELHI: CBI opposed in a Delhi court the bail plea of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, chargesheeted along with controversial businessman Abhishek Verma in a case of alleged forgery of AICC General Secretary Ajay Maken's letter which was sent to the Prime Minister.

Tytler, who appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued against him, moved the bail application, saying he was not required for any custodial interrogation.

Special CBI Judge V K Gupta heard the arguments on the bail plea and reserved the order for today itself.

During the arguments, CBI prosecutor Atul Sharma said that Tytler is a "very influential person" and can tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses.

"He is a very influential person. We have some witnesses over here and they can be manipulated and evidence can be tampered with. Looking into all the apprehensions, we are opposing his bail plea," the prosecutor said.

The court, on September 6, had taken cognisance of CBI's charge sheet which was filed on a complaint of then Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken that a forged letter on his letterhead was written to the Prime Minister by Verma seeking easing of business visa norms in 2009.

Verma is lodged in Tihar Jail after being arrested in various cases lodged against him by CBI and Enforcement Directorate. Verma and his wife Anca Maria, who are presently in judicial custody, were also produced before the court during the hearing.

CBI has alleged that Tytler had "actively connived" with Verma to cheat a Chinese telecom firm and the Congress leader had first shown a "fake and forged" letter to the company's official, claiming that it was written by Maken to the Prime Minister.

Arguing on the bail plea, senior advocate Dinesh Mathur, appearing for Tytler, said the Congress leader's name was added in the charge sheet as an accused at the last moment and it cannot be a case of arrest as he has appeared before the court.
Mathur said Tytler was not required for the purpose of investigation as the charge sheet has already been filed.

"He (Tytler) is not required for custody at all," the counsel said, adding that Section 420 (cheating) of IPC is not made out against him client.

However, Verma's counsel Maninder Singh said that as per the CBI charge sheet, it was Tytler who had shown the alleged forged letter to the officials of the Chinese telecom firm at his residence.

"I should not be on a platform where there is a pick and choose policy. I have been suffering since the very first day," Singh said, adding that Verma and his wife Anca, who has not been chargesheeted by CBI in the case, is in jail since last year.

At this juncture, Mathur told the court it appears that Verma's lawyer was opposing Tytler's bail.

"Who is depriving you (Verma) from moving a bail plea," he said.

To this, Singh said Verma and his wife are still in judicial custody and as per CBI, the alleged forged letter was shown by Tytler and not Verma.

"Even during the probe, Tytler was not touched and I am a poor man so I am suffering. The treatment meted out to me is differential," Singh said.

The CBI prosecutor, however, opposed Tytler's application, saying there could be an "irreparable loss" if his bail plea is allowed.

During the hearing, CBI also supplied the copy of the charge sheet and other documents to Tytler's lawyer.

CBI, in its charge sheet, has said, "Investigation has, therefore, revealed that Jagdish Tytler had knowingly and actively connived with Abhishek Verma in attempting to cheat M/s ZTE Telecom India Pvt Ltd."

It has chargesheeted Tytler and Verma for their alleged attempt to cheat the Chinese firm on the issue of visa norms.

"It is clear that Jagdish Tytler, who was well acquainted with Abhishek Verma, was a party in attempting to cheat ZTE. It was he (Tytler) who showed the fake letter to the officials of ZTE for the first time at his residence and it was in his presence....Abhishek Verma discussed with ZTE an agreement for the said deal," the agency has said.

Tytler and Verma have been chargesheeted for offence of attempting to cheat under IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

"There was a meeting of minds between Abhishek Verma and Jagdish Tytler in their attempt to cheat ZTE Telecom India Pvt Ltd on the basis of fake and forged letter addressed to the Prime Minister from Ajay Maken, the then MoS (Home Affairs)," CBI has said.