Bail denied to absconding CWG scam accused

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed anticipatory bail pleas of two businessmen wanted by the CBI for their alleged role in a CWG corruption case related to award of a contract to a Swiss firm for installing Times, Scoring and Result system.

A bench of justices J M Panchal and H L Gokhale turned down the anticipatory bail pleas to A K Madan and P D Arya, the promoters of Faridabad-based Gem International, asking them to approach the trial court for regular bail, which, the bench said, would be decided expeditiously.

Evading arrest, Madan and Arya have been declared proclaimed offenders by the trial court and the CBI has begun proceedings to confiscate their properties.

Seeking bail for the petitioners, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi contended that they had no direct role in the alleged irregularity in award of the contract to Swiss Omega as they are merely promoters of a firm, Gem International, which was awarded the sub-contract.

Rohatgi claimed Gem International was sub-contracted by Swiss Omega only for Rs 23 crore out of the original Rs. 107 crore contract bagged by the Swiss firm and it was still being probed.

Rohatgi told the court that Madan is a terminally ill, suffering from multiple medical complications like spondylitis, cardiac and retinal detachment. He assured the court that Madan would cooperate with the CBI in the probe once he is granted bail.