JBT scam: HC seeks CBI response on O P Chautala's bail plea

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today sought response of CBI on former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala's plea seeking regular bail citing his ill health.

A special bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul issued notice to the investigating agency seeking its reply by July 11 and refused to grant any interim relief to Chautala.

The court, however, extended till July 4 the interim bail of Chautala's MLA-son Ajay Singh Chautala, who has been sentenced along with his father in teachers' recruitment scam.

It also extended till July 4 the bail of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Sher Singh Badshami and O P Chautala's former Officer on Special Duty Vidya Dhar till July 4.

The bail of all the three was extended on health grounds. The court also directed them to submit reports regarding their medical status on July 4.

It, however, provided no relief to Sanjiv Kumar, an IAS officer who has been convicted in the case and directed his counsel to file a fresh application for availing bail.

O P Chautala, in his bail plea filed through advocate Amit Sahni, has contended that he is a physically disabled senior citizen having 60 per cent permanent disability.

The 79-year-old politician has contended in his plea that he is suffering from diabetes as well as chronic obstructive airway disease and is prone to both respiratory and cardiac failures.

On January 22, 2013, a special CBI court had sentenced Ajay Chautala, Om Prakash Chautala and eight others, including Vidya Dhar and Badshami, to 10 years jail term for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior teachers in the year 2000.

Among other convicts, 44 have been sentenced to four years in jail and one to five-year jail term.

All of them were held guilty of cheating, forgery, using fake documents as genuine, conspiracy under IPC and for abusing their official position under Prevention of Corruption Act