Lalit Bhanot, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC), accused of corruption in award of the Timing, Scoring, and Results System, sought bail in a special court here on Thursday on the ground of parity with the accused in the 2G spectrum scam case. Both cases related to “financial irregularities,” he pointed out.
Counsel said the orders of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court on the bail plea of the 2G scam accused had set a precedent which other courts had to go by.
Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta said, the higher judiciary had reaffirmed the “bail is the rule and jail is the exception” dictum and that bail could not be denied because of public sentiments against the accused. Mr. Gupta said, Mr. Bhanot had been in prison since February 23 and spent more time in jail than those who were released on bail in the 2G case. Arguments will continue on December 14.
Besides Mr. Bhanot, two former OC officials M. Jeyachandran and A. S. V. Prasad had moved bail pleas.
