Bail plea of Ahluwalia rejected, police remand till Oct 20

Shimla, Oct 16 (UNI) A local court here rejected bail application of Subhash Ahluwalia, Principal Private Secretary to former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in a case of disproportionate assets case.

The Court of Special Judge, J.L. Gupta, while disposing of application of the State Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau seeking 7-day police remand of Ahluwalia as well as Ahluwalia's bail plea by a common order, extended his police remand till October 20.

Former Advocate General M S Chandel, appearing on behalf of Ahluwalia pleaded that there was no prima facie case against him and stressed that he be released on bail in view of his deteriorating health as he needed to be put on artificial respiration.

The Court however held that medical ground could not be sole ground for accepting the bail application and directed the police to ensure that every medical facility was provided to Ahluwalia.

The Bureau is seeking custodial interrogation of Ahluwalia saying that he was not giving satisfactory response with regard to details of a locker in Axis bank at Panchkula, four lockers in the name of his wife Mira Walia and an employee Sanjay Sharma.

There was no satisfatory reply by Mr Ahluwalia on alleged 'benami' purchase of an orchard at Dhargaura (Rampur) either, it said.

Ahluwalia was arrested by the Bureau on October 8. and has been on medical treatment at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital here since then.

UNI XC JN VN1859