New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Enforcement Directorate officer Ankit Tiwari, arrested by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), in Tamil Nadu, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a government employee.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Amit Anand Tiwari, represented the Tamil Nadu government, before a bench comprising justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan.
The bench noted that the petitioner has challenged the December 20, 2023 order denying him regular bail, and the counsel for the state pointed out that a copy of the paper book has not been provided so far, which was strongly refuted by the counsel for the petitioner.
The bench further noted that counsel, for the petitioner, agrees to handover a complete set of paper-books including the fresh petition filed by him by tomorrow and the counter affidavit will be filed by state within two weeks. “We are granting interim bail”, said Justice Kant. Sibal said, “that is ok, if your lordship is granting….”. Tiwari said if the court is granting the interim bail, “we are not coming in way…”.
“Meanwhile, the petitioner is directed to be released on interim bail subject to furnishing bail bonds to the trial court….”, said Justice Kant. Tiwari pressed that conditions should be imposed on the petitioner: one he should not contact directly or indirectly witnesses and other persons, and he should not leave his local posting station.
The bench agreed with Tiwar's condition and directed that the petitioner should not attempt to tamper with the evidence and also, he will not leave the state of Tamil Nadu, without prior permission of this court. “He shall deposit his passport, if any…”, said the bench.
Last week, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed a revision petition filed by Enforcement Officer (EO) Ankit Tiwari of the ED against denial of statutory bail to him by the lower court in a bribery case.
On December 1, 2023, Tiwari was arrested by DVAC on charges of obtaining Rs 20 lakh as bribe from a government doctor, Suresh Babu, to close a pending disproportionate assets case against him and his wife. Tiwari had initially demanded three crore rupees from Babu, but later reduced it to Rs 51 lakh, of which he obtained Rs 20 lakh at first. Tiwari's arrest came after Babu lodged a complaint with the DVAC.
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