HC grants bail to Lal Singh’s wife in land case

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, July 23: High Court today granted absolute bail to the former MLA and wife of former Forest Minister Lal Singh in a case registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Justice Rajnesh Oswal after hearing the Senior Counsel P N Raina with Advocate Asheesh Singh Kotwal for applicant-Andotra granted the interim bail to the applicant as absolute with terms and condition.
The terms and condition as laid by the court are that she shall cooperate with the investigating agency and shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and shall not leave the limits of J&K UT without proper permission.
Justice Oswal made it clear that in the event the applicant fails to comply with the conditions then the prosecution can lay a motion before the court for cancellation of the bail.
It was argued before the court that the applicant is not cooperating with the investigating agency which prompted the court to call the IO who submitted that the petitioner is cooperating in the investigation process.
Petitioner-Andotra before the court submitted that the allegations contained in the FIR do not disclose commission of any offence against her as the basis of the case of prosecution is that she was given wrong benefit of orchard land of 74 Kanals while the calculating the total land in her possession is without any merit.
Her counsel contended that the question as to whether the petitioner is in possession of land exceeding the ceiling limit as provided under the provisions of Agrarian Reforms Act is still pending adjudication before the Assistant Commissioner Revenue Kathua and without waiting for its outcome the ACB has registered the impugned FIR which is an outcome of political vendetta.