Two bails and few hours in jail for ex-DU vice-chancellor

Delhi court and HC grant him bail in ‘plagiarism’ case but not before Deepak Pental is briefly inside Tihar.

P Pardha Saradhi (Filed case in 2009); Deepak Pental (Gets reprieve)

On a day of action-packed court drama, former Delhi University vice-chancellor Deepak Pental was arrested, then granted bail by a local court and then again given bail by the Delhi High Court in an alleged case of plagiarism and forgery.

Tuesday began with the Delhi court first hearing Pental’s bail plea in connection with a private complaint filed in 2009. The court reserved its order till 3 pm.

Meanwhile, Pental’s lawyers moved the High Court to seek a bail. The HC granted the former V-C bail around 3 pm but it soon became apparent that the Delhi court had also bailed Pental out at about the same time.

Additional chief metropolitan magistrate V K Gautam said the former V-C has “deep roots in the society” and “in the facts and circumstances of the present case… the present bail is allowed”.
The court also asked Pental to furnish a personal bond of Rs 40,000.

The bail order comes in the case where Prof P Pardha Saradhi has accused the former V-C of plagiarism, cheating and forgery. The other accused in the case is KVSK Prasad, who currently lives in the United States.

Pental’s lawyer argued that his client was never involved in the scientific or financial aspect of the DU’s Department of Science and Technology, making the allegations baseless. Saradhi’s counsel opposed the bail on the grounds that one of the several offences under Section 436 CrPC can be tried in the court of sessions and was punishable by imprisonment for up to a life term.

The court also dismissed another application filed under Section 209 CrPC, seeking commitment of the case to the court of sessions. “The application is premature as the other accused has not put up his appearance in the present case,” the court said.

Story continues below this ad

The court remanded Pental in judicial custody at Tihar Jail after it reserved its order on the bail plea till 3 pm. After this, Pental moved the High Court. His counsel pleaded with the HC that offences under Sections 63 and Section 70 of the Copyright Act are bailable.

At the HC, Justice S Muralidhar then ordered Pental’s release, subject to his appearing before the Delhi court.

Kaunain Sheriff M

As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations. Areas of Expertise Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety. Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps. Global Collaborations Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects: The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry. Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time. Awards & Recognition His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors: Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia) Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club) Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots). Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision. Social media LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99 X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram