A special CBI court its in order rejecting the temporary bail on medical grounds of Dewan Housing and Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan in the Yes Bank scam case recently observed that there is a prima facie case (against them).
Special CBI judge SU Wadgaonkar said, “…there is prima facie evidence on record pertaining to the involvement of accused/applicants. Both accused have played important role in regard to the transaction of Rs. 3700 crores and Rs. 750 crores relating to M/s. Yes Bank.”
The brothers had been produced by the CBI on May 10 as their custody with the agency had ended and they had been remanded in judicial custody by the court. Immediately thereafter, they had filed pleas for interim bail, that had come to be rejected the same day.
Advocate for Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhwan had made submissions regarding the Coronavirus situation in the city and conditions in the state’s jails with poor hygiene conditions and common bathrooms and toilets for jail inmates. He had also argued that they were high-risk patients with underlying heart conditions.
The court noted that the situation with regard to the Coronavirus pandemic is not good and that there is significance in the statement that more than 100 inmates and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in Arthur Road jail. “At the same time all directions which are issued for release of prisoners for interim bail shall not apply to under-trial prisoners for serious economic offences and bank scams. In the present crime there is involvement of multi-crores bank scam alleged to be committed by accused/applicants.”
Further judge Wadgaonkar observed that their health was well when they were in CBI custody for 13 days and previous medical treatment records referred to by their advocate was not sufficient to show aggravation of medical ailments at present.
The Wadhawans are accused in the Yes Bank scam now pegged at over Rs. 5000 crores. The bank made investments of Rs. 3,700 crores in DHFL, in exchange for which the Wadhawans paid a kickback of Rs. 600 crores to the founder and ex-CEO of the bank Rana Kapoor through a company in which his daughters were directors.
