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The Allahabad High Court rejected the bail plea of former Superintendent of Police (SP) of Mahoba, Manilal Patidar, who currently remains in judicial custody.
Justice Rajbir Singh delivered the order after hearing arguments from both sides, citing the serious nature of allegations, including criminal conspiracy, abetment to suicide, and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Patidar, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, had been absconding for a significant period before his arrest.
He faces charges for allegedly demanding bribes from a local businessman and driving him to suicide through repeated threats and harassment.
Allegations Stem From Business Rivalry And Bribery Demands
The case stems from a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by Ravikant Tripathi, brother of the deceased businessman Indrakant Tripathi.
According to the FIR, Indrakant who ran a licensed explosives business and held partnerships in several firms faced mounting pressure from Patidar and others after he refused to pay bribes.
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The complaint alleges that in June 2020, Ajay Soni and Brahmanand, associated with a rival firm, met Patidar and plotted to ‘teach Indrakant a lesson’ by demanding ₹6 lakh per month in bribes.
When Indrakant was unable to pay due to financial losses, the threats reportedly escalated. He was warned of being falsely implicated in a criminal case, jailed, and even killed.
Victim’s Complaint And Social Media Plea Preceded Tragic Death
Before his death, Indrakant reportedly wrote to the Chief Minister and posted on social media, stating that officials were targeting him for refusing to pay bribes.
On 8 September 2020, police found him seriously injured in his car with a bullet wound to the neck.
He later died in hospital. The subsequent investigation concluded that he had taken his own life due to extreme harassment.
Court Reviews Evidence And Arguments On Bail Plea
Patidar’s defence team argued that their client is a senior IPS officer with no history of corruption and that the case lacks direct evidence linking him to bribery or abetment to suicide.
They claimed the allegations were baseless and unsupported by any financial transaction records or conclusive proof.
In response, Additional Advocate General and Senior Advocate IK Chaturvedi, opposing the bail plea, submitted that Indrakant had previously paid bribes regularly but was later unable to continue due to business losses.
As a result, the accused allegedly framed him in a false gambling case, causing his mental distress and eventual suicide.
Court Denies Bail; Leaves Trial Court To Examine Evidence
After weighing the submissions and circumstances, the High Court ruled that the trial court must evaluate the available evidence.
Given the seriousness of the charges and the stage of the case, the bench found no grounds to grant bail.
“The evidence on record and the gravity of the allegations require scrutiny during trial. In the current context, granting bail is not justified,” the court observed, thereby dismissing Patidar’s application.
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