Punjab and Haryana High Court: The Punjab IAS Officer Sanjay Popli has been granted interim bail of 6 days by Pankaj Jain, J. to attend the first death anniversary of their son. IAS Popli has been in custody since 28-06-2022, booked for offences under Sections 7 and 7-A of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
IAS Popli through the instant petition prayed for grant of interim bail since the first death anniversary of his son fell on 25-06-2023. It was alleged that his wife was facing dis-orientation and psychological distress, undergoing treatment, and that he wanted to be by her side on the day of their son’s death anniversary.
Sanjay Popli’s son had died a few days after his father’s arrest in corruption case, when the investigation was still ongoing. Earlier, the High Court denied bail to IAS Sanjay Popli on 30-01-2023 considering the extent of valuables recovered from his house and the pendency of another case for disproportionate wealth.
The State opposed the said application for bail due to seriousness of allegations against Sanjay Popli in case wherein disproportionate assets were unearthed during search and seizure at their home.
The Court pointed towards the fact that the “Investigating agencies have already filed reports before the trial court” and granted provisional bail to IAS Popli ‘purely on humanitarian ground’.
Considering the peculiar facts and circumstances and without getting into merits of the case, the Court granted interim bail for 6 days (23-06-2023 to 28-06-2023). The Court ordered him to surrender on 29-06-2023. The Court further restricted him from travelling out of his resident city during bail.
[Sanjay Popli v. State of Punjab, Criminal Miscellaneous Petition No. 24935 of 2023, Order dated 19-06-2023]
Order by: Justice Pankaj Jain
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For Applicant: Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari, Advocate Keshavam Chaudhri;
For State: Deputy Advocate General of Punjab, Harsimar Singh Sitta.
