UP MLA Akhilesh Kumar Singh fails to get bail from SC

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) The Supreme Court today declined to grant bail to Akhilesh Kumar Singh, an independent MLA of Uttar Pradesh, involved in 56 criminal cases including murder, kidnapping and extortion.

A bench comprising Mr. Justices K.G. Balakrishnan and D.K. Jain while adjourning the hearing of the case till July 7 ordered the trial court to proceed expeditiously in the murder trial pending against petitioner Akhilesh Kumar Singh, who is at present in jail.

Akhilesh was earlier in Congress but was expelled from the party and is presently supporting the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in the state.

The petitioner has filed an appeal against the Allahabad high court judgment cancelling his bail in Rakesh Kumar Pandey murder case on the grounds that he was intimidating the witnesses in the case and no witness would dare to come forward because of his terror in the area.

Senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, appearing for the petitioner, pleaded that at least the trial court may be directed to expedite the trial proceedings and the high court order cancelling his bail was based on imaginary fears.

UNI AKS/SC RP HT1855