Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Nov 4: The Supreme Court Wednesday granted bail to Mumbai-based model Preeti Bhatia, one of the accused in the multi-crore Orissa chit fund scam, Wednesday.
Bhatia is facing charges under 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 466 (forgery of public record), 467 (forgery of valuable security) and 34 (acts done by many with same intention) of IPC and Chit Fund Act.
The prosecution sought judicial custody of Bhatia for two more weeks but the apex court turned this down on the ground that the status report in the case had already been submitted, defence lawyer Ajay Kumar Singh told Orissa POST.
Bhatia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for her alleged complicity with the Artha Tatwa Group, a chit fund company, October 10 last year. She has been lodged in Jharpada jail in the city.
Earlier, Bhatia’s bail plea was rejected by the CJM court, the Khordha district and sessions court, and then by the Orissa High Court March 16.
The court had earlier said Bhatia could be granted bail on the condition that she deposits Rs 1,17,83,000 within six weeks with the Special CBI Court here. Bhatia deposited the amount with the Special CJM Court of CBI in the city June 5.
Singh told Orissa POST that they will now deposit Rs 1 lakh security with JFMC court a day after which the court is likely to direct Bhatia’s release. Bhatia is likely to be out on bail in three or four days, depending upon the formalities.
