Police does not oppose bail plea of cash-for-vote scam accused

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today reserved its order on bail pleas of six persons including two former BJP MPs and L K Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni in the 2008 cash-for-vote case with the police saying it did not object to their applications as the probe was over.

The counsel for Delhi police intervened when one of the defence lawyers was arguing and said "the honourable court may consider granting bail to all the six accused who have filed their bail applications in the court."

The faces of defence lawyers lit up when prosecutor Pawan Sharma told Justice M L Mehta that "Ashok Argal (a sitting BJP MP) has already joined the investigation on July 25 this year and moreover, the final report has also been filed. The bail applications could be considered."

The court was hearing the applications of five jailed accused -- former BJP law makers Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahabir Singh Bhagora, Kulkarni, Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh's former aide Sanjeev Saxena and alleged BJP activist Suhail Hindustani, who were denied bail by the lower court.

Besides them, Argal, who has so far not been arrested, has sought grant of anticipatory bail in the case.

Justice Mehta, after hearing arguments for nearly two hours on behalf of the six accused, reserved his orders for Novemver 16.

Meanwhile, the court would tomorrow hear the anticipatory bail plea of Samajwadi Party leader Rewati Raman Singh who has been summoned as an accused by the trial judge recently.

During the hearing, senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for an accused, said "no criminal motive could be attributed in the case as it was a sting operation which was conducted to expose the horse trading and not to get illegal gratification."