Land-grabbing case: court grants bail to co-accused

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court today granted bail to a man, who was arrested along with AAP MLA Manoj Kumar in a case of alleged cheating and land-grabbing, on the ground of parity.

Additional Sessions Judge Raghubir Singh released Lakhpat Singh on bail on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of like amount.

The court directed Lakhpat not to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses and not to leave the national capital.

Lakhpat sought bail on the ground of parity as Kumar was also granted the release by the court yesterday.

The court, while releasing Lakhpat on bail, said that "keeping in view the facts and circumstances of this case, accused/applicant is hereby ordered to be admitted on bail... with the conditions to the effect that accused should not leave NCT of Delhi without seeking prior permission of the court concerned".

"He shall make himself available for investigation as and when called for and shall not try to contact or influence the witnesses. Accused/applicant shall also refrain himself from tampering with or attempting to tamper with the evidence," the court said.

Lakhpat had approached the sessions court after his bail plea was dismissed along with that of Kumar by a magisterial court on July 16.

Advocate Rajesh Kumar, appearing for Lakhpat, sought bail claiming that his client was falsely implicated in the case and has been in judicial custody since July 12.

Lakhpat's bail plea, however, was opposed by Special Public Prosecutor Anupam S Sharma who argued that the offences are serious in nature.

Yesterday, advocate Arun Sharma, who appeared for Kumar, had sought bail claiming that his client has been falsely implicated due to political reasons and as he was a sitting MLA, there was no chance of his absconding from justice.

The AAP leader was arrested on July 9 for allegedly selling a plot for Rs six lakh in November 2012 to complainant Vinod who later came to know that he did not own the land.