HC seeks clarification on Dhananjay’s bail plea

Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court, while hearing a bail application filed by mafia-turned-politician and ex-MP Dhananjay Singh, has directed the state counsel to verify whether the explanation given in respect of criminal history of the applicant is correct or not.
Hearing a bail application filed by Dhananjay, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh-1 has fixed July 15 as the next date of hearing.
Former Bahujan Samaj Party MP Dhananjay Singh was arrested on May 11, 2020, in connection with alleged kidnapping of an Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam project manager with the intent to grab a contract of material supply in construction of sewage treatment plant in Jaunpur.
Earlier, his bail application was rejected by the sessions judge, Jaunpur, on May 20, 2020. Hence, he filed the present bail application before the high court.
UP Jal Nigam project manager, Abhinav Singhal, had registered an FIR against ex-MP at Line Bazaar police station of Jaunpur on May, 10, 2020.
As per the FIR, the informant, Abhinav Singh, was given some type of threat and abuses were hurled on him by the accused applicant Dhananjay.
It is alleged that some projects for the purpose of construction of a special treatment plant (STP) was going on in which complaints were received of supplying sub-standard material. The informant was allegedly threatened by the accused applicant due to supply of sub-standard material, as per court’s order.
The ex-MP’s counsel has stated that the statement of the informant, which has been recorded, the informant has not supported the prosecution version as he has clearly stated that no pressure was exerted upon him nor was he abducted when he had approached the accused and had talked to him. He had given assurance that he would do quality work and he was dropped at the same place from where he was picked up.
Further, it is argued that the accused has a criminal history of 38 cases and out of these 38 cases, in 24 cases, he has been acquitted, in one case, he has been discharged, in four cases, final report has been submitted and three cases against him have been withdrawn.
At present, five cases are going on in which he has been granted bail except in the present case. But no bail orders/aquittal order/discharge orders in support thereof were annexed by him in his petition, the order stated.
During the course of hearing, the state counsel opposed the prayer of grant of bail and stated that the applicant is an ex-MP.
The state counsel has expressed that these cases may be verified by the state.
Accepting the submissions made by state counsel, the court directed him to verify by the next date as to whether the explanation given in respect of criminal history mentioned in applicant’s application is correct or not.