The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday granted regular bail to former Punjab MLA and Congress leader, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, in the case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court directed that Khaira cannot leave the jurisdiction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court without obtaining the prior permission of the trial court.
Khaira had been arrested by the ED for allegedly being involved in a money laundering case, registered in January 2021, under the PML Act. Khaira’s bail plea has been dismissed earlier on December 7, 2021, by the special ED Court, following which he had moved to Punjab and Haryana HC seeking regular bail in the matter.
Khaira in his bail plea had contended through his lawyer that he is innocent and a victim of grave persecution and harassment and has been in judicial custody since November 18.
The bench of Justice Sureshwar Thakur, while granting bail to Khaira, ordered that the bail applicant shall furnish personal and surety bonds, in the sum of Rs 5 lakh, with one or two solvent local sureties in the like amount, before, and, to the satisfaction of the trial court concerned.
Other conditions imposed upon Khaira by the court included that till the bail applicant complies with the process of furnishing sureties, he is directed to be released on furnishing cash bail of Rs 5 lakh, and, the applicant shall comply with the formalities of furnishing sureties within a period of six weeks from his actual release from jail.
The bench also directed that Khaira will submit his residential address along with proof of his staying there to the respondent, and, in the event of change of address, shall update the same before, and, to the satisfaction of the learned trial Court concerned, and shall surrender his passport with the investigating agency, if not already surrendered, before, the learned trial Court concerned.
The bench further directed Khaira that he will remain present before the Special Court concerned, on the fixed dates without fail unless and until prevented for medical reasons, and will not leave the jurisdiction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court without obtaining the prior permission of the trial court.
Justice Thakur further directed that Khaira not to tamper with the evidence and/or prosecution witnesses, and meanwhile the respondent (ED) shall be at liberty
to take recourse as available under law, if the bail applicant violates any of the conditions imposed.
