No extension for ex-judge Odisha HC judge Ishrat Masroor Quddusi’s CBI remand

Retired Judge Ishrat Masroor Quddusi. Express/Files

A special court Monday rejected the CBI’s application seeking retired Odisha High Court Judge Ishrat Masroor Quddusi’s further remand in a medical scam case on the ground that the agency had not been able to “give any plausible, convincing and justifiable ground” for seeking the extension.

The CBI sought three days remand of three accused — Quddusi, B P Yadav and Vishwanath Agarwala — saying that they “showed non-coperation” and that Quddusi “obtained installment of gratification” from one of the accused. The judge sent all six accused to judicial custody.

Special Judge Manoj Jain said: “I am of the view that the CBI has not been able to give any plausible, convincing, justifiable ground for extension of police custody remand. The remand has been given for four days earlier and admittedly all accused remained in Delhi and were not taken outside Delhi, and therefore the CBI had a sufficient period” for interrogating them.

The defence submitted to the court that the accused have the right to maintain silence and they don’t have any further statements to make. The defence also submitted that all accused had extended full co-operation and voice samples were given by them to the CBI. The defence said there was “no reason, much less a cogent one” to extend the police remand.

The CBI had arrested six accused and the case against Justice Quddusi and others relates to a UP-based private medical college, Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences, which was among the medical institutes barred by the government from admitting new students because of shortcomings in infrastructure.

The issue was challenged in the Supreme Court by the college. The court directed the government to consider the material on record afresh and B P Yadav, who runs the college along with Palash Yadav, got in touch with Justice Quddusi and Bhawana Pandey and they allegedly “entered into a conspiracy for getting the matter settled”.

On Monday, the counsel for all six accused also moved for bail. The counsel for Bhawna Pandey moved a plea seeking interim bail on the ground that her child required “immediate action”.