Delhi HC orders release of man facing trial in 40 cases on bail

The Delhi High Court on Friday gave orders for releasing on bail a man facing trial in around 40 different cases.

A Division Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and S Prasad directed to immediately release on bail Vindo Bansal, who is accused in 40 separate cases.

Bansal, in a plea filed through advocate Anuj Chauhan, told the court that he has been granted regular or interim bail in all the 39 cases being probed by Delhi Police. But he failed to get bail in one case pending in Agra Court under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act (cheque bounce case).

Delhi Government Standing Counsel for criminal matter, Rahul Mehra and Chaitanya Gosain, told the High Court that despite the efforts made by the jail authorities to verify the next date of hearing in the pending complaint case before the court at Agra, there has been no information forthcoming. The jail authorities have been informed that courts there are not functioning presently due to COVID-19.

Mehra submitted that it is a private complaint that has been registered against the petitioner in the court at Agra. Therefore, the local SHO at Agra is also not in a position to throw any light on the next date of hearing in the matter.

"We are of the opinion that the petitioner cannot be detained unendingly merely because the respondent/state was unable to execute the production warrants issued by the concerned court at Agra, directing his presence, particularly, when efforts made by the respondent to verify the next date of hearing have not borne any fruitful result. We are informed that the concerned court at Agra is not functioning due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation," the court said.

The court observed that in such circumstances, it is only just and fair that the petitioner should be released forthwith on the condition that he furnishes a bond to the Superintendent Jail undertaking that he shall appear before the court at Agra on the next date of hearing.

Immediately after the petitioner is released by the jail authorities, he shall also file an affidavit in the present petition giving a similar undertaking to this court, the bench said.

( With inputs from ANI )