HC grants bail to 3 accused in AP liquor scam case

Vijayawada: The high court on Friday granted bail to three accused in the alleged AP liquor scam case — Buneti Chanakya (A-8), M Balaji Kumar Yadav (A-35) and Navin Krishna (A-36). The court imposed several conditions for the bail, including submission of two sureties for Rs 1 lakh each and submission of passports to the trial court.Justice Venkata Jyothirmayee Pratapa observed that the petitioners were in jail for long, and the other accused who faced severe allegations have already obtained bail. As the investigation has been completed with respect to the role of the petitioners, keeping them in jail further curtailed their rights and gave punishment before the trial, she noted.
The court further directed that the three accused should not leave the state without intimating the investigating officer, share their WhatsApp number, and should present themselves before the investigating officer when summoned. They should also submit an affidavit stating their movable and immovable assets, bank and demat account details, and details about their business interests to the trial court within two weeks of release on bail. The accused should not try to influence witnesses in any form, the high court warned.Barring the accused from speaking to any form of media about the case, the court asked them not to create third-party rights on the assets declared in the affidavit filed before the trial court. They should not participate in any kind of business transactions in the companies involved in the case without prior permission from the investigating officer, and should always be available on the phone. They should also present themselves before the investigating officer every Saturday and intimate if their phone number is changed. The prosecution can seek cancellation of bail if any of the conditions are violated, said the high court.