Manoj Kumar Gupta, J. - (1.) The applicant, who is accused of offence under Section 7 and 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act , 1988 (for short 'the Act') arising out of FIR No. R.C. 1202015A0001, Police Station CBI/ACB/ Ghaziabad, has applied for grant of bail. He is in jail since 2.2.2015. The bail application filed by him, while investigation was in progress, was rejected by the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption/CBI,Ghaziabad by order dated 20.2.2015. Thereafter, the instant bail application was filed. Various co-ordinate Benches of this Court by orders passed on different dates, i.e. 20.6.2016, 12.7.2016, 18.7.2016, 3.8.2016, 3.4.2017 and 7.7.2017 had granted parole/short term bail to the applicant on medical grounds. The period of short term bail/parole granted on 7.7.2017 was expiring on 7.1.2018. The Supreme Court in Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. ------- of 2018 by order dated 8.1.2018 extended the parole for a further period of two weeks and desired that the bail application of the applicant be disposed of by this Court finally on the next date. The instant matter was nominated to this Bench by order of Hon'ble the Chief Justice dated 16.1.2018. This is how it is placed before this Court for the first time for hearing today. The matter is taken up for hearing and counsel for the applicant as well as Sri Gyan Prakash, counsel for CBI have been heard.
(2.) According to the case of the prosecution, the applicant, who is a PCS Officer and was on deputation as Competent Authority in GAIL (India) Limited, NOIDA, demanded and received illegal gratification of Rs. 5 lakhs from the complainants Robin Rana and Jagpal Singh. The Central Bureau of Investigation, on the basis of complaint made by these two persons dated 30.1.2015, laid a trap on 31.1.2015, in which the applicant is alleged to be caught red-handed, accepting bribe from the complainants. The proceedings continued till late midnight and the following day till 03:00 hours. The accused applicant was taken in custody on the spot on 2.2.2015 and since then he is in jail.
(3.) During the pendency of the present bail application, the investigation has been completed and a charge sheet was submitted against the applicant under Sections 7 & 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Act. By order dated 11.3.2016, the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption/CBI, Ghaziabad, has framed charges against the applicant and the trial is in progress.;