On Friday, the Supreme Court approved anticipatory bail for Satish Chandra Verma, former Advocate General of Chhattisgarh, in the Nagrik Apurti Nigam (NAN) scam case.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta allowed Verma’s pre-arrest bail while directing him to fully cooperate with the investigation.
The case against Verma revolves around WhatsApp conversations between him and bureaucrats Anil Tuteja and Alok Shukla, the prime accused in the NAN scam.
According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Verma allegedly assisted them in securing bail.
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The NAN scam involves allegations of supplying substandard essential goods, including rice, grams, and salt, leading to multiple arrests of high-ranking officials.
Verma’s previous bail pleas were rejected by a Chhattisgarh sessions court in November last year and later by the Chhattisgarh High Court, both citing the need for further investigation due to the serious nature of the allegations.
During a hearing on 21 February, the Chhattisgarh government assured the Supreme Court that it would not take any coercive action against Verma in the case.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Verma, argued that the Bharatiya Janata Party government targeted him after replacing the Congress administration.
After considering the arguments, the Supreme Court granted Verma anticipatory bail.
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