PSI recruitment scam: Suspended ADGP Amrit Paul’s bail plea rejected

Highlights

• A city civil court on Tuesday rejected the bail petition of suspended ADGP Amrit Paul arrested in the PSI recruitment scam by the CID.

• Paul is Accused Number 35 in a case registered at High Grounds police station under various sections of IPC. He was arrested on July 4. Paul had applied for bail in the case. Special public prosecutor (SPP) P Prasanna Kumar had argued for the rejection of Paul’s bail petition.

• It is alleged that DySP Shanthakumar, who is Accused Number 31 in the case, had given Rs 5 crore to Paul.

• Paul’s counsel told the court that the police have not collected any material evidence against the IPS officer, but only recorded the statement of Shanthakumar. The FSL report about his phone details is awaited. Since he is under suspension, Paul had requested his release on conditional bail.

• The CID counsel told the court that the investigation against Paul is yet to be completed. Since the investigation is in its initial stage there are chances of tampering with prosecution witnesses. The officer had threatened some of his staff who had given their statements to the CID police with reference to his role and as an ADGP, Paul wielded enormous influence, the prosecution had argued.

• The prosecution also informed the court about the High Court rejecting bail petitions of around six other accused persons in the case. Civil Court Hall 52 judge Yashawanth Kumar rejected the bail citing that there is a chance of the petitioner tampering with the prosecution witnesses and hampering the investigation. The petitioner is not entitled to relief of bail at this stage, the court held.