Graft case: Missing cop JM Bharwad’s bail plea rejected

Source: dnaindia.com

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Jetpur’s Deputy Superintendent of Police JM Bharwad, who is missing ever since he was booked by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 8 lakh for not beating an accused arrested under the Arms Act.

The single-judge bench of Justice AJ Desai rejected the bail remarking that it is not inclined to grant him anticipatory bail as prima facie, he seems to have a role in the corruption case.

The court while rejecting the bail considered the submissions of the state government, which included the WhatsApp conversation between Bharwad and his subordinate, Vishal Sonara, a constable, who was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh on Bharwad’s behalf.

The court also considered the statement given by Sonara to ACB that he was collecting the money on Bharwad’s behalf. The public prosecutor had also submitted the transcript between Sonara and the complainant, where the constable has used the name of Bharwad repeatedly.

Bharwad in his anticipatory bail application had argued that he is innocent and being falsely implicated in the case. He had also claimed that he has no connection with the offence registered with Jetpur police station under the Arms Act and he was not investigating the case.

The missing cop had also argued that he has an “unblemished” service record of 22 years with the police department and has been promoted from a police sub-inspector to police inspector and then as a deputy superintendent of police. He claimed that in his entire service, he has never been punished and therefore, he deserves anticipatory bail in the case.