New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh in connection with the cash-for-votes scam. The court said bail was being granted only on humanitarian grounds since the politician was ill and had sought bail on grounds of poor medical condition.
The High Court has given Mr Singh conditional bail and he shall have to furnish a bond and a surety of Rs. 50 lakh each. He has also been told that he cannot leave the country, though the court order has left him room to seek the trial court's permission to travel abroad for medical treatment if needed. Mr Singh has pleaded that he needs to visit Singapore regularly in connection with his kidney treatment.
"This is a Diwali gift," said his long-time supporter, actor-politician Jaya Prada, adding, "I am confident he has done no wrong."
Mr Singh, a former Samajwadi Party leader, was arrested on September 6 and sent to Tihar Jail for his alleged involvement in the bribing of three BJP MPs ahead of a trust vote in Parliament in July 2008. The politician was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical sciences (AIIMS) seven days later, after he complained of vomiting and pain in the kidney.
The 55-year-old leader has been undergoing treatment for renal infection at the hospital ever since. He is diabetic and underwent a renal transplant in September 2009 and intestinal surgery 10 years ago. He also suffers from hypertension, tuberculosis infection, chronic kidney disease and urinary tract infection.
Sources say Mr Singh will stay in hospital.
The Delhi Police did not oppose bail - it just sought that Mr Singh not be allowed to leave the country and that he not be allowed to tamper with evidence in the case. Last Wednesday, the police had noted that a medical report from AIIMS said the MP's condition was critical and he needed constant monitoring. "We cannot dispute the report of AIIMS, which states his condition is critical therefore we do not oppose his bail application on medical grounds," the police's counsel had said.
Mr Singh has repeatedly applied for bail on medical grounds; a lower court had rejected both that and his regular bail application and Mr Singh had moved High Court.
Amar Singh is an accused along with the three BJP MPs who were allegedly bribed in 2008 - Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Singh Bhagora. Of the trio, only Mr Argal is a serving party MP. Senior BJP leader LK Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni and activist Suhail Hindustani and Sanjeev Saxena are also named as accused in the case.
All of them have been chargesheeted by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police. It has been alleged that Mr Singh hatched a criminal conspiracy to bribe the then BJP MPs to influence their voting in the confidence motion in the Lok Sabha in 2008 against Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. At the time of the trust vote, he was a senior leader with the Samajwadi Party.
On July 22, 2008, three BJP MPs waved wads of currency notes in the Lok Sabha ahead of a trust vote, alleging they were given the money to vote in favour of the Manmohan Singh government.
Last week, the trial court dismissed the bail applications of the three BJP MPs and Mr Kulkarni and they too are expected to move the High Court for bail soon.
The High Court has given Mr Singh conditional bail and he shall have to furnish a bond and a surety of Rs. 50 lakh each. He has also been told that he cannot leave the country, though the court order has left him room to seek the trial court's permission to travel abroad for medical treatment if needed. Mr Singh has pleaded that he needs to visit Singapore regularly in connection with his kidney treatment.
"This is a Diwali gift," said his long-time supporter, actor-politician Jaya Prada, adding, "I am confident he has done no wrong."
Mr Singh, a former Samajwadi Party leader, was arrested on September 6 and sent to Tihar Jail for his alleged involvement in the bribing of three BJP MPs ahead of a trust vote in Parliament in July 2008. The politician was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical sciences (AIIMS) seven days later, after he complained of vomiting and pain in the kidney.
The 55-year-old leader has been undergoing treatment for renal infection at the hospital ever since. He is diabetic and underwent a renal transplant in September 2009 and intestinal surgery 10 years ago. He also suffers from hypertension, tuberculosis infection, chronic kidney disease and urinary tract infection.
Sources say Mr Singh will stay in hospital.
The Delhi Police did not oppose bail - it just sought that Mr Singh not be allowed to leave the country and that he not be allowed to tamper with evidence in the case. Last Wednesday, the police had noted that a medical report from AIIMS said the MP's condition was critical and he needed constant monitoring. "We cannot dispute the report of AIIMS, which states his condition is critical therefore we do not oppose his bail application on medical grounds," the police's counsel had said.
Mr Singh has repeatedly applied for bail on medical grounds; a lower court had rejected both that and his regular bail application and Mr Singh had moved High Court.
Amar Singh is an accused along with the three BJP MPs who were allegedly bribed in 2008 - Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Singh Bhagora. Of the trio, only Mr Argal is a serving party MP. Senior BJP leader LK Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni and activist Suhail Hindustani and Sanjeev Saxena are also named as accused in the case.
All of them have been chargesheeted by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police. It has been alleged that Mr Singh hatched a criminal conspiracy to bribe the then BJP MPs to influence their voting in the confidence motion in the Lok Sabha in 2008 against Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. At the time of the trust vote, he was a senior leader with the Samajwadi Party.
On July 22, 2008, three BJP MPs waved wads of currency notes in the Lok Sabha ahead of a trust vote, alleging they were given the money to vote in favour of the Manmohan Singh government.
Last week, the trial court dismissed the bail applications of the three BJP MPs and Mr Kulkarni and they too are expected to move the High Court for bail soon.
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