New Delhi, Feb 28 In a significant development, the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday granted pre-arrest bail to Satish Chandra Verma, the former Advocate General (AG) of Chhattisgarh, in connection with the high-profile Nagrik Apurti Nigam (NAN) scam case.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order while dealing with Verma's Special Leave Petition (SLP), which challenged the February 13 order of the Chhattisgarh High Court that had denied anticipatory bail.
The case stems from serious allegations under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The state claims that incriminating WhatsApp chats between Satish Chandra Verma and key accused in the NAN scam, Anil Tuteja and Alok Shukla, were recovered by the Income Tax Department. These chats were later shared with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), prompting further investigation into Verma's alleged involvement in the scandal. According to the allegations, Verma is accused of assisting the prime accused in securing bail, which played a critical role in the unfolding of the scam.
The matter first came to light when Verma's anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Sessions Court in November 2024. After his plea was turned down, Verma approached the Supreme Court, seeking pre-arrest bail. In response to Verma's petition, the Supreme Court issued notice on February 21 and recorded a statement from the Chhattisgarh government assuring that no coercive steps would be taken against Verma until the next hearing. This was a temporary relief for Verma, who was seeking protection from arrest while the legal proceedings unfolded.
Friday's decision marks a critical moment in the ongoing investigation into the NAN scam. While the Chhattisgarh High Court had previously denied Verma anticipatory bail, the Supreme Court's order allows him to remain free from arrest for the time being, pending further legal proceedings. The Nagrik Apurti Nigam scam involves allegations of financial misconduct and corruption, with several prominent figures under investigation.
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