Vulnerable to COVID infection; Delhi court grants interim bail to 63-year-old builder in duping case

A Delhi court has granted 45-day interim bail to a 63-year-old builder, who was arrested for allegedly duping flat-buyers of a Noida-based residential project, observing that he is vulnerable to COVID-19 infection.

Additional District and Sessions Judge MP Singh granted bail to Diwakar Sharma, who had sought an interim bail in connection with two cases, one of which is being probed by the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police and the other by Mayur Vihar police.

The court asked Sharma, who is the managing director of Shubhkamna Buildtech Private, to furnish a personal bond of Rs one lakh and one surety of the like amount in both the cases.

It also asked the accused to appear before the police station in both the cases every Sunday and submit his medical report at the end of 45-day interim bail.

Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for Sharma, told the court that it would be better for his client's health if he receives specialised healthcare and takes the assistance of specialists and it is not possible to give him specialised health care inside Mandoli jail, where he was kept.

Sharma has been in custody since February 14, 2019, for his alleged involvement in the cheating of various home buyers of a Noida-based residential project.

His counsel told the court that the medical report from the jail had claimed that the accused was already on the long-term intake of steroids and that it might have reduced his immunity.

According to the police, the accused had allegedly cheated various persons of crores of rupees.

A complaint was lodged against him by a society 'Techomes Flat Buyers Welfare Association' alleging that the buyers had purchased flats in a residential project namely "Shubhkamna-Advert Techomes" in Noida from the company of the accused.

The complaint said that the buyers had paid nearly 90 percent of the total sum of the purchase but the builder stopped the construction. An investigation in the matter is underway, the police said.

( With inputs from ANI )