A Delhi court has granted bail to former Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly, Rakhee Birla, AAP MLA Surender Commando and three others in a case of molestion of a minor in 2014.
Granting bail to them, Additional Sessions Judge Ruby Alka said: “The present complaint was filed in 2014. Much time has been consumed in pre-summoning of evidence. Summoning orders against the accused persons were passed on 20.10.2018. During this time there is nothing on record to show that any of the accused persons have tried to influence witnesses and temper with evidence.”
“In the facts of circumstances, all the accused persons, i.e., Surender Commando, Rakhee Birla, Ashok Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav and Sudhir are enlarged on bail on their furnishing of personal bond of ₹20,000 each with one surety of like amount,” the Judge said.
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The court also imposed certain conditions on them while granting the bail. It said that the applicants would not try to influence, contact or meet with the complainant/prosectrix/victim child and the other witnesses in any manner.
It further said that the accused persons would not leave the country without prior specific written permission of the court.
Arguing for bail, counsel for Ms. Birla, Rishipal Singh, submitted that there were contradictions between the facts stated in the complaint and the pre-summoning evidence led. He further submitted that there was no chance of tempering with evidence by his client as the case is five-year-old.
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Opposing their bail applications, counsel for the complainant submitted that the accused persons were powerful persons, having the capacity to influence witnesses and temper with evidence. Her counsel also sought dismissal of their bail application on technical grounds.