New Delhi, May 28 A Delhi court has granted bail to six accused persons in an alleged scam linked to a Delhi government scheme, saying it is an admitted proposition of law that bail is the rule and denial is an exception.
The case was registered in 2025 by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) based on a complaint by the Department for the Welfare of SCs, STs and OBCs, which alleged large-scale irregularities by empanelled coaching institutes in claiming funds from the exchequer under the 'Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana' in 2018-19.
Earlier this month, the ACB arrested nine owners, directors and associates of coaching institutes in connection with the alleged Rs 37.20-crore scam.
Special Judge Ruchi Aggarwal Asrani was hearing separate bail pleas filed by Ravindra Singh Jadon, Harshit, Azad Kalet, Sanjeev Kumar, Narendra Kumar Gupta and Jeetender Kumar.
According to the prosecution, Jadon was the director of M/s Ravindra Institute of Indian Civil Services (OPC) Pvt Ltd, Harshit was running Momentum NEET IIT Academy, Kalet was running Takshila Institute, Kumar was running Prayas Institute, Gupta was director of Takshila Academy Pvt Ltd and Jeetender was running an NGO namely Pahal in Rohini, which was associated illegally with one Kiran Institute.
The prosecution alleged that the accused persons received undue benefits.
In separate orders passed on May 26, Judge Asrani said that the accused persons had been incarcerated for 26 days and "it is an admitted proposition of law that the bail is a rule and denial is an exception".
She said that as they were not personally required in the investigation, therefore, continued incarceration will not serve any purpose.
"There is a presumption of innocence of the accused and the applicant/ accused cannot be detained as a punitive measure," the judge said, granting them bail on furnishing a bail bond and surety bond of Rs 1 lakh each and subject to several other conditions, such as not leaving the country and appearing regularly for trial.
