Jerath refused bail in FIR 2

CHANDIGARH, Feb 15: Observing that suspended UT chief engineer K.K. Jerath caused quot;wrongful gain to a certain contractor and wrongful loss to the statequot;, and that he was declared a proclaimed offender in FIR number 1, Special Judge S.S. Lamba today dismissed his bail plea in FIR number 2.

The Judge held that the Administration had given details pertaining to how the accused defrauded it to the tune of Rs 51,84,485. It was stated that the tender which the accused allegedly gave to M/s Sandeep and Co. initially amounted to Rs 1.33 crore but was later enhanced to Rs 2.22 crore without seeking formal approval of the Administration. The prosecution today produced before the court letters with regard to premium given to the contractor on various items.

Earlier, on February 9, Jerath had filed a bail application in FIR no. 2 under Sections 13 1, a,b,c,d and 2 of PCA and under Sections 406, 409, 420, 467, 471 and 120-B of the IPC. The public prosecutor demanded dismissal of the bail application on the grounds that if the accused was to be released on bail, he was likely to run away and jeopardise investigation. The counsel for the accused, however, denied all allegations, stating that this criminal case was an instance of the Home Secretary8217;s vendetta. This is clear from the fact that out of eight employees, arrayed as accused in FIR no. 3, none had either been suspended or arrested, he added.