Kashmir sex racket accused IAS officer granted bail

Srinagar, Aug 17 (UNI) A local court here today granted bail to senior IAS officer Mohammad Iqbal Khanday, one of the accused in the sex scandal that had rocked the Kashmir valley, after being in jail for about 50 days.

Principal Session Judge, Srinagar Mohammad Yaqub Mir granted the interim bail to Khanday on medical grounds and asked him to furnish a surety of Rs one lakh and a personal bond of a like amount.

He is the first among more than 15 accused, arrested by the CBI in connection with the sex scandal, to have been granted bail.

Khanday was arrested by the CBI on June 29, and booked under section five of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.

His bail was earlier on July 14 rejected by the court of Chief judicial Magistrate, Srinagar Mohammad Yousuf Akhoon on the grounds that his release would have damaging effect on the investigations into the case by the CBI.

The order was challenged by way of revision petition and a fresh bail plea was submitted before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court which referred the application to the Principal sessions Court on August 8.

While advocate Moulvi Aijaz pleaded the case on behalf of the petitioner, public prosecutor R K Saini appeared for the CBI.

Though advocate Aijaz was not engaged by petitioner, he pleaded for Khanday's release as a friend.

The CBI counsel once again submitted objections to the bail application, saying the accused being a very influential person, if released would definitely tamper with the evidence and thereby adversely affect the trial of the case, and also has every chance to give slip to the law.

However, the court observed that the accused cannot have that much of influence as he was enjoying before his arrest. As his position has undergone change, there may be no chance for him to tamper with the evidence, it said.

The court also noted that the accused had undergone surgery after he was diagnosed cancer of the lower lobe of the left lung.

Earlier, on the directions of the High Court, a team of specialist doctors was constituted to examine Khanday.

The team submitted a report stating that in view of previous history of being treated for lung cancer and his present living conditions in a crowded room, he is likely to contract chest infection which can prove damaging to his health.

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