Accused in Greek ship tragedy granted bail

NEW DELHI, May 17: A Delhi court has granted conditional bail to an accused, Satpal Singh Wahi, in the Greek ship tragedy case. The court has granted bail because the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has failed to charge-sheet him even though he had been in judicial custody for the last 90 days.

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Prem Kumar granted bail to Wahi alias Daddy, manager of S P International at Connaught Place. The CBI had accused Wahi for criminal conspiracy in allegedly cheating innocent persons of lakhs of rupees by promising them jobs in Italy and Greece as seamen. Wahi has been ordered to furnish a personal bond of Rs one lakh and two sureties of the like amount.

The bail has been granted on the grounds that Wahi has to surrender his passport to the investigation officer of the case and he will not leave the country without permission.

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The judge has ordered that Wahi should report to the CBI by the 5th of every month and he should not try to influence any of the victims.

Wahi was arrested on February 2, this year, after 170 people drowned in the Malta-Sicily Channel on the night of December 24 and 25 last. According to the prosecution, the accused collected Rs 2.5 to 2.8 lakhs from the victims and promised them jobs in Greece. They allegedly send the youth to Turkey to Egypt from Alexandria and Adana ports there.