Srinagar : Suspended Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sheikh Adil Mushtaq, who was arrested last month in an alleged corruption and extortion case, was granted interim bail by the Special anti-corruption court here on Saturday.
Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court, Srinagar Surinder Singh granted the interim bail to the accused.
DSP Sheikh Adil, a 2015 batch officer of the Kashmir Police Service (KPS), was arrested on September 21.
The accused allegedly took money to drop certain charges in a “terror funding case” and attempted to implicate a police officer who was investigating a terror operative .
After his arrest, a five-member Special Investigation Team was formed to investigate the case. Adil was suspended by the J & K government soon after his arrest.
“The apprehension expressed on behalf of the prosecution that the applicant/accused being a highly placed officer may intimidate or win over the witnesses and influence them, this court is of the view that on this score alone the interim bail cannot be denied to the applicant, as the investigation in the case is almost complete.
Firstly; in the event of such event, the prosecution can always approach the competent court for cancellation of bail; secondly, the applicant is a suspended police officer having to power; thirdly, the applicant can be directed not to influence proceedings against him,” the Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court observed.
“..Keeping the accused in the custody for a long period, no purpose would be served to the prosecution and it is for the prosecution to investigate, prove demand and acceptance of bribe money by the accused and affect the recovery thereof,” it added.
The Court said it is amply clear that there would be no danger of justice being thwarted if the applicant is granted bail.
“Therefore, applicant/accused has carved out a strong case for grant of bail in his favour. The bail application succeeds and is allowed. Accordingly, the applicant/accused is admitted to interim bail subject to his furnishing two surety bonds in the sum of Rs. 50,000 each with personal bond of like amount,” the court order said.
While granting the interim bail, the accused has been directed by the Court not to directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him to disclose such facts before the court or any other authority.
In the order, the Court also asked the accused to cooperate with the investigation and make himself present before the investigating officer during investigation as and when he is called upon to do so.
The accused DSP was also asked to deposit his passport and travel document with the investigating officer until the completion of investigation of the case, so as to avoid any risk or possibility of his abscondence.
He was also directed not to leave the valley of Kashmir without prior permission of the investigating officer or Court as the case may be.
The Court said in case the accused breaches any of these conditions, the investigating officer shall be at liberty to move before the competent court for cancellation of bail granted in his favour.
