Raipur Court denies bail to former Chhattisgarh AG Satish Chandra Verma in ED case

A Raipur Court has on Wednesday refused to grant interim bail to the former Chhattisgarh Advocate General (AG) Satish Chandra Verma who is accused of having played a key role in a Prevention of Corruption Act case during his tenure as the state's AG [Satish Chandra Verma v. State of Chhattisgarh].

Special Judge Nidhi Sharma Tiwari noted that as per the material provided in the case diary, it was clear that Verma allegedly committed criminal conspiracy along with other co-accused persons that resulted in his failure to discharge his public duties as the State AG.

Verma, who was the Advocate General of the State from 2019 to 2023 during the tenure of the Congress government, has been booked under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The counsel on behalf of Verma challenged his arrest by arguing that he has been falsely implicated in the case based on the contents of a WhatsApp conversation which is made up by the prosecution and is misleading.

Further, Verma argued that the charges against him are solely based on information provided by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), with no independent investigation conducted by the State Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW).

EOW Special Prosecutor Saurabh Pandey opposed Verma's plea by arguing that during his tenure as the State AG, Verma played a key role in conspiring with bureaucrats Anil Tuteja and Alok Shukla. The two bureaucrats are accused of unlawfully obstructing the ED's investigation and attempting to influence ongoing trial proceedings in a 2019 corruption case.

It was further contended that the alleged offences could not have been carried out without Verma's deliberate assistance. Additional allegations against Verma include his involvement in pressuring witnesses to alter their testimonies and tampering with evidence submitted by the prosecution.

After considering all the material before it, the Court rejected Verma's bail plea.

Advocate Samarth Pandey represented Satish Chandra Verma.

Special Prosecutors Mithilesh Verma and Saurabh Pandey and Special Public Prosecutor Rajkishore Sonkar represented the State.

[Read Order]