HC reserves order on Nanda's bail application

New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today reserved its order for tomorrow on the bail application of Sanjeev Nanda who was convicted for five years imprisonment in the nine-year-old BMW hit-and-run case.

After hearing the arguments from both sides Justice Kailash Gambhir reserved his order to be pronounced on Saturday.

Nanda's counsel Mukul Rohtagi contended that it was a case of simple accident which was blown up by media because he is a son of a wealthy buisinessman.

The sessions court was held Nanda guilty under Section 304 (Part II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) IPC for mowing down six persons with his BMW car in the wee hours of January 10, 1999 and was pronounced five years imprisonment.

Mr Rohtagi contended that the life and liberty of a young man was curtailed due to the lenghty court proceedings going on for the last 9 years. The media glare and lot of undue publicity has been given to an accident case where Nanda himself could have been a victim. He pleaded for bail till the pendency of the appeal against the trial court order. Citing the conduct of Nanda during the last nine years, Mr Rohtagi said they have already paid Rs 65 lakhs to the victims on compassionate grounds without the directions of court and before any verdict was passed against him. He has already remained in jail for one year and even when he was out on bail, Sanjeev never violated any condition imposed by the court on him, Mr Rohtagi contended.

Another businessman Rajeev Gupta and his two employees--Bhola Nath and Shyam Singh -- were also convicted by the sessions court for destruction of evidence by removing the blood stains and pieces of victims' flesh from the car after the incident.

During the arguments Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan said the trial court order is a message to the society that the rich cannot get away after commiting serious offence.

Counsel for Nanda, Ramesh Gupta, however, blamed the media for Nanda's conviction and sought his release under the Probation of Offender Act.

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