For the fourth time, the Orissa High Court on Thursday refused to grant bail to miner Deepak Gupta, who is under judicial custody for nearly four years now. Gupta’s bail application was also once rejected by the Supreme Court.
Justice SK Mishra, in a 31-page judgment, denied bail to Gupta, who was arrested on September 5, 2013 by the Vigilance police and is currently facing trial on being charged under several Sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 420, 468, 409, 379, 411 and 120-B of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Notably, Gupta in connivance with the mining, forest and revenue officials and mining leaseholders by creating fake documents illegally and in unauthorised manner excavated iron ore which caused pecuniary advantage to him, his family members and caused loss to the State exchequer to the tune of more than Rs 1500 crore.
“The crime appears to have been committed in a cool, calculated and organized manner. A strong prima facie case is available against the petitioner (Gupta) to show his involvement in the economic offence,” Justice Mishra observed in his order.
In view of the severity of punishment in case of conviction, reasonable apprehension of tampering with the evidence, Justice Mishra was not inclined to reconsider his bail and release him from custody. “Accordingly, the bail application sans merit and hence stands rejected,” the judgment said.