The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday allowed interim bail to former Director Agriculture Punjab, Dr Mangal Singh Sandhu in another case registered against him in Mohali, under Prevention of Corruption Act.
Taking up the anticipatory bail plea filed by Sandhu, the Bench of Justice MMS Bedi, while accepting his bail plea has directed the petitioner to join investigation on October 8 and October 22.
In his petition, Sandhu has claimed that he had made proposals for purchase of particular insecticides for white fly, in his capacity as the Director Agriculture. Rebutting the FIR registered against him at Punjab State Crime police station for under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, with other Sections of the IPC, the petitioner said that FIR was registered on October 6, 2015, while he was in police lock up. Petitioner claimed that he was arrested on October 5, 2015, in another FIR and was granted bail only in December 2015.
The Counsel for the petitioner contended that the petitioners custodial investigation was not required in the matter as the police did not seek his custody, while he was in custody in another case.
Sandhu, who was suspended after the white fly attack on cotton crops in 2015, was arrested last year in a case registered at Bathinda, under the provisions of Essential Commodities Act, Insecticides Act, and the Fertilizers Control Order besides PCA etc. He was accused of taking Rs 8 lac as bribe for purchase of spurious pesticides. High Court had granted him bail in the matter in December last year.