Much to the disappointment of former Ranchi Mayor Rama Khalkho, a special vigilance court in Ranchi on Friday rejected her bail application in the alleged cash-for-vote scam during Mayoral elections. Khalkho was also a candidate in the Mayoral elections in Ranchi.
“Rejecting the arguments given on behalf of the ex-Mayor Rama Khlkho and on the basis of the evidences collected by the police in the case diary, a special Vigilance court of ARK Sinha today rejected her bail application,” said Special Vigilance PP Naresh Prasad.
Khalkho in her application also claimed that according to the FIR registered in the case, no crime was committed by her. “The court observed that there were enough evidences against her in the case diary hence bail cannot be granted to her,” Prasad added.
According to the advocate, Khalkho has denied of having any involvement in the whole episode of April 07 as she was not present in the hotel.
“She made submissions before the court that she was not present at the hotel and the seized money did not belong to her hence as a responsible and dignified citizen she may be granted bail,” said Junior Special PP Rajesh Kumar. During the arguments, the defence counsel said that neither any crime was committed by Khalkho, nor any conspiracy of crime was done by her hence she cannot be kept in judicial custody.
The case diary however, says that the money was brought to the hotel to distribute among the voters to influence them in her favor.
The driver of Khalkho has also accepted that he along with Khalkho had gone to the City Palace hotel on March 07. The mobile locations of Khalkho and her aides during investigations also suggest that she was present around the hotel on the day of seizure of money.
“The court opined that the money was taken to the hotel to distribute among the voters and an imaginary story was being made to influence the investigation process and avoid section 414 of IPC in the case,” said Kumar. Khalkho has also been booked under section 414 of IPC under which someone is charged of assisting in concealing or disposing making away with some property which he/she knows or has reason to believe to be stolen property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Khalkho, who had surrendered before the vigilance court on June 04 is accused in cash for vote scam during Municipal elections in Ranchi where Rs 21.9 lakh were seized from a hotel room ahead of Municipal elections in Ranchi.
Two others, Niranjan Sharma and Sudheer Kumar Sahu have already been arrested in this connection on April 07, 2013.
The mayoral elections were scrapped later by the State election commission on the basis of the reports of rigging in the Mayoral elections submitted by the Ranchi Police and Income Tax department.