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Showing contexts for: fodder scam in Daman Bhalla @ Lucky vs State Of Punjab on 18 March, 2020Matching Fragments
[16]. In the present case, there are 128 cited witnesses. Only three PWs have been examined completely so far and four PWs have been examined partly. Statement of the witnesses runs in several pages and the documents on which reliance is placed by the prosecution, is voluminous. Even record is not traceable as on date. The trial of the case may take considerable time despite direction issued by the Hon'ble Apex Court. Accused/petitioner Daman Bhalla is in custody since 23.10.2017. In Sanjay Chandra's case (supra), the Hon'ble Apex Court has held that it is not in the interest of justice that accused should be in jail for an indefinite period. No doubt, the offence alleged against the accused is a serious one in terms of 13 of 16 CRM-M No.2163 of 2020(O&M), CRM-M Nos.34448, 20009 and 21121 of 2019(O&M) 14 alleged huge loss to the State exchequer, that, by itself, should not deter the Court from enlarging the accused on bail when there is no serious contention of the State that the accused, if released on bail, would interfere with the trial or tamper with evidence. The Hon'ble Apex Court also relied upon 'Bihar Fodder Scam' to observe that bail was granted after considering the seriousness of the charges alleged and maximum sentence of imprisonment that could be imposed including the fact that the accused were in jail for a period of more than six months as on the date of passing of the order in that case.