A CBI special court on Wednesday allowed the plea of stock broker Dharmesh Doshi, a close relative and former associate of 2001 Stock Market scam accused Ketan Parekh, to travel to the UK for six months.
As per Doshi’s bail conditions in the present Global Trust bank scam case, he is required to take the court’s permission before leaving the country. He had sought permission for travel to the UK and other countries for business purposes and also because he is a permanent resident of London with his family living there.
His advocate told the court that he had not jumped bail when given travel permission earlier and has followed conditions laid down by the court. The CBI had opposed the plea arguing that Doshi had not been available for investigation and had been shown as an absconder in the chargesheet. The agency also argued that one year is an unduly long period and that matters in other cases in which he is an accused are pending before the Supreme Court.
The court in its order, while allowing travel to Doshi for six months instead of a year, said that it is an undisputed fact that he is following the directions of the court scrupulously. Further, it said that the prosecution has not explained on what basis it has expressed the apprehension that he may abscond when he has abided by conditions when given permissions earlier. The court also noted that Doshi has agreed to give the detailed itinerary before proceeding abroad and has undertaken that his advocate will be present regularly for proceedings.
Doshi is an accused in the Global Trust Bank scam case in which he along with his associates including Ketan Parekh and the bank officials cheated it to the tune of Rs. 500 crores, according to the central agency. Doshi is also a co-accused of Parekh in the Madhavpura Mercantile Co-operative Bank scam in which the Ahmedabad-based bank was cheated of Rs. 1,030 crores.
