New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Thursday granted interim bail to several accused in the high-profile Chhattisgarh coal levy scam, including Suryakant Tiwari, former civil servants Ranu Sahu and Saumya Chaurasia, Sameer Vishnoi, and others.
A bench comprising justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta passed the order, extending interim relief in all matters listed before it.
The court had earlier granted interim bail to ex-bureaucrats Saumya Chaurasia, Ranu Sahu and others in March this year, followed by Laxmikant Tiwari, Manish Upadhyay, and Parekh Kurre in early May. Fresh petitions were filed by additional accused seeking similar relief.
Delivering the order on Thursday, the Supreme Court directed that all petitioners be released on interim bail, subject to furnishing bail bonds to the satisfaction of the trial court. However, the court imposed specific conditions on key accused — Suryakant Tiwari, Ranu Sahu, Sameer Vishnoi, and Saumya Chaurasia — prohibiting them from staying in the state of Chhattisgarh until further orders.
“These are persons who have the potential to influence the investigation,” Justice Surya Kant observed while dictating the order.
The Court further directed that the petitioners must inform the investigating agency and jurisdictional police station of their place of stay outside Chhattisgarh within one week of release.
They are barred from contacting witnesses or tampering with evidence; any such act will be deemed as misuse of interim bail.
The accused must deposit their passports with the special courts immediately upon release.
They are also required to fully cooperate with the investigation and be present before the trial court or investigative authorities as and when required.
Justice Kant made a significant remark during the proceedings, noting: “We are also prima facie satisfied… the amount of property this one lady has made… that speaks volumes…” an apparent reference to one of the key accused.
When the Enforcement Directorate requested an additional condition restraining Suryakant Tiwari from contacting relatives who had received prosecution notices, the Bench emphasised the need for witness protection and trust-building. Justice Kant stated:
“You have to create some sort of confidence in the witnesses… if you create this kind of environment, what would be the fate of the investigation? Those persons who can be really helpful in taking the investigation to a logical conclusion… you need to infuse some confidence in them that you will protect them.”
The court also clarified that the interim bail is a temporary arrangement and does not confer any equitable rights upon the petitioners. The order is without prejudice to the arguments of the prosecution.
During the hearing, the Bench sought clarity on the number of accused out on interim bail across cases being pursued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Chhattisgarh.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave informed the court that 13 accused were out on bail in EOW cases, with 5 remaining under custody in ED-related matters.
