Delhi HC Grants Bail to Ex-CBI Officer in Corruption Case
The Delhi High Court, on Tuesday, granted bail to a former CBI officer accused of demanding a ₹10 lakh bribe in connection with a corruption case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The bench observed that the ‘triple test’ for bail was satisfied and noted that the accused had already spent over nine months in custody, with no likelihood of the trial concluding in the near future.
The bench of Justice Ravinder Dudeja held, “The offence, no doubt, is grave and serious and there are two more criminal case pending against the accused but these factors by themselves cannot be the sole basis for denial of bail, particularly when the “triple test” for grant of bail stands satisfied”.
Despite serious allegations including extortion, destruction of evidence, and intimidation, the court held that prolonged detention without trial would violate the petitioner’s right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution. “Right to speedy trial is an essential part of Article 21. Delay in trial proceedings without fault of accused is a ground for bail. Petitioner has already been in custody for more than nine months”, the bench added.
After the complaint, an FIR was registered under Section 7 of the PC Act. Thereafter, a trap was laid on July 03, 2024, during which the petitioner and the co-accused fled the scene. The petitioner allegedly threw ₹3 lakhs, retained ₹1 lakh in the vehicle, destroyed the DVR, assaulted the complainant, and later left him near Britannia Chowk.
Counsel for the petitioner argued that contradictions existed in the verification timeline, that the CBI forced a witness to falsely identify the petitioner’s voice, and that the allegations of assault lacked corroborative evidence. It was submitted that the petitioner had been terminated from service, had deep roots in society, and had not misused interim bail.
On the other hand, the CBI opposed the petition, submitting that the petitioner was a habitual offender previously charge-sheeted in a similar case, and accused him of tampering with evidence and threatening the complainant.
After considering the submissions, the bench noted that although the allegations were serious, the investigation was complete, the charge sheet had been filed, and the petitioner was no longer in service, thus limiting his ability to influence witnesses. Since the petitioner had remained in custody for over nine months and the trial was likely to be prolonged, the bench granted bail.
For Petitioner: Senior Advocate Pamod Kumar Dubey with Advocates Aditya Singh Deshwal, Pinky Dubey, Prince Kumar, Amrita Vatsa, Suchita Kumbhat and Charu Tomar
For Respondent: Special Public Prosecutor Anupam S Sharma with Advocates Harpreet Kalsi, Ripudaman Sharma and Vashisht Rao
Case Title: Ravinder Dhaka v CBI (2025:DHC:4403)