The Chhattisgarh High Court has granted bail to Anwar Dhebar, a former officer of the State government, who was accused in a corruption case linked to the alleged liquor scam in the State. The bail was granted by a Division Bench of the High Court after hearing his regular bail petition in the criminal case filed by the State’s investigative agency. Dhebar had been arrested and remanded in custody during the course of the probe into allegations of irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy, which was purportedly exploited to generate unlawful profits.
In granting bail, the High Court examined the submissions of the parties regarding the nature of the allegations and the stage of the investigation. The Court took note that the investigation had substantially progressed and a chargesheet had been filed. It also observed that the accused had been in custody for a significant period, and that the trial was likely to take considerable time to conclude. The Court referred to the principle of parity, noting that several other accused persons linked to the same case who were similarly situated had already been granted bail by the trial court and by higher courts. The Bench held that continued custodial detention of Dhebar was not necessary in light of these circumstances.
While granting bail, the High Court imposed certain conditions to ensure that the accused would cooperate with the trial process and not interfere with the investigation or prosecution. Among the conditions imposed were surrender of his passport, prohibition on leaving the country without prior permission from the Court, and directions to appear regularly before the trial court as required. The Court also emphasised that the accused must refrain from tampering with evidence, influencing witnesses, or engaging in activities that could hamper the process of justice.
The corruption case pertains to the alleged manipulation of the liquor excise policy which was introduced by the State government. The policy was claimed to have led to disproportionate gains for certain private entities and resulted in financial loss to the public exchequer. As a result of the probe, multiple individuals including politicians, bureaucrats, and businesspersons were implicated in various proceedings. The allegations against Dhebar included involvement in decision-making or facilitation in aspects of the policy implementation that allegedly enabled irregular benefits to certain stakeholders.
In its bail order, the High Court emphasised that incarceration cannot be ordered indefinitely, especially where the investigation is completed and the trial is expected to be protracted. It reiterated that in deciding bail applications, courts must consider factors such as the role of the accused, the stage of investigation, likelihood of tampering with evidence, and the possibility of influencing witnesses. The Court held that in the absence of material indicating that the accused would pose a threat to the process of justice if released, detention beyond a reasonable period was not justified.
The High Court’s decision reflects its assessment that the requirements for bail were satisfied in the case of Anwar Dhebar, subject to the observance of conditions intended to safeguard the trial process. It also aligned with earlier bail orders in related cases involving the alleged liquor scam where courts had recognised similar considerations in granting conditional liberty to accused persons. The order marks a continuation of judicial oversight in balancing the rights of accused persons with the need to uphold the integrity of the criminal justice process in high-profile corruption investigations.
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