Gujarat HC denies bail to Vipul Chaudhary, says he could tamper with evidence

The court of Justice Ilesh Vora said, “…considering the peculiar facts and circumstances of the present case and role attributable to present applicant… this court has reason to believe that the applicant is in position to tamper with the prosecution evidence.”

The ACB, in a joint operation with the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) in Ahmedabad on October 15, arrested Chaudhary and his personal assistant Shailesh Parikh, following an FIR lodged at Mehsana ACB police station, for offences under IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

It was alleged that Chaudhary “misused his powers’” and in violation of prescribed standard operating procedures and guidelines, issued work orders and contracts, resulting in “financial irregularities”. The
“misuse of powers” included bulk purchase of milk coolers without issuance of tenders, awarding contracts for construction to those who quoted a higher price than what was being quoted by the lowest bidder, and in awarding contracts for banners and hoarding of Dudhsagar Dairy.

Chaudhary submitted before the HC that the FIR was “absolutely false, frivolous and filed with oblique motive and malafide intention”. He argued that it has been “lodged solely for the purpose to restrain the applicant (Chaudhary) in participating the State Legislative Assembly Election”.

It was also submitted that he has formed one ‘Arbuda Sena’ “for the welfare of the society and had organised various programmes… and for betterment of the cooperative sector”, and thus the FIR has been filed owing to “political rivalry”.

Chaudhary had also submitted that till date a total of “5 false and politically motivated FIRs have been registered” against him, and of these, the proceedings in four have been stayed by the Gujarat HC. In another case, he was granted anticipatory bail.

300 members of Arbuda Sena detained

More than 300 members of the Arbuda Sena were detained by Gandhinagar city police, on Friday, as they protested in support of their leader and former home minister Vipul Chaudhary who is jailed.

Arbuda Sena is a social group of Chaudhary community, led by Vipul Chaudhary. Hundreds of members of Chaudhary community protested at the Satyagrah Chhavani in Gandhinagar and were detained by police. They were released in the evening.

A senior official of Sector 7 police station said that they detained total 330 members of the Arbuda Sena.
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