ACB court rejects Kadam's bail plea

Mumbai, Mar 13 (UNI) The ACB (anti-corruption bureau) court today rejected the bail plea of suspended ACP Baban Kadam, who was arrested on February 23 for possessing disproportionate assets, on the ground that the investigation in the case was in progress.

However, defence counsel Majeed Memon argued that his client was a suspended police officer since 2002 in connection with the MPSC scam and was in custody for 30 months since July 2002 in an identical case the ACB had searched his house and office and seized documents.

He also alleged that the case of disproportionate assets case was a 'conspiracy' to harass his client.

He said this present case was nothing different from the earlier one and argued that there is no law existing that prosecutes a person can be prosecuted on the same ground twice.

However, public prosecutor R V Kini opposed Kadam's bail plea saying that the latter had joined the police force in 1971 and an inquiry has been initiated to record the statements of witnesses from 1971 to 2003.

He said Kadam was a senior police officer and his release on bail could influence witnesses.

ACB had registered a case against Kadam last month for amassing wealth to the tune of Rs 2.6 crore, including a luxurious flat in Goregaon and a bungalow in Konkan, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Kadam is presently in judicial custody till March 24.

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