The Supreme Court has granted bail to Arun Pati Tripathi, a former Special Secretary of the Chhattisgarh Excise Department, in a cheating and corruption case linked to the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam. However, the Court directed that he shall be released on April 10, 2025, to ensure that the ongoing investigation is not affected.
A bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan noted that Tripathi has been in custody for approximately 11 months and observed that there is no possibility of the trial commencing in the near future. The Court considered the state's contention that the investigation is still ongoing and, therefore, granted time until April 10 for his release.
Apart from the terms and conditions to be fixed by the sessions court, the Supreme Court imposed additional conditions on his bail:
1. He must surrender his passport to the investigating officer.
2. He must report to the investigating officer every day at 10:00 a.m. until the charge sheet is filed.
The Court directed that he be produced before the appropriate sessions court on April 10, 2025, where the final bail order will be passed.
In the same proceedings, the Supreme Court also granted bail to three other accused in related cases arising out of the alleged Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam:
The Court noted that the investigation against Anurag Dwivedi is complete and directed that he be produced before the sessions court within ten days. The sessions court shall grant him bail with stringent conditions, including surrendering his passport and cooperating with the investigation.
Dilip Pandey, who has been in custody for approximately eight months, was granted bail under conditions similar to those imposed on Tripathi. His release has also been set for April 10, 2025.
The Supreme Court also granted bail to Deepak Duary, noting that the investigation against him is complete. The Court directed that he be produced before the sessions court within ten days, which will set appropriate bail conditions, including the surrender of his passport and cooperation with the investigation.
