Top Court Grants Pre-Arrest Bail to Former Chhattisgarh Advocate General in NAN Scam

The Supreme Court granted pre-arrest bail to former Chhattisgarh advocate general Satish Chandra Verma in the Nagrik Apurti Nigam scam case, pending appeal against a high court's decision. Verma was accused of aiding others in getting bail. The court asked for cooperation in the investigation.

The Supreme Court has granted pre-arrest bail to Satish Chandra Verma, the former advocate general of Chhattisgarh, amid allegations related to the Nagrik Apurti Nigam (NAN) scam case. The decision by the top court bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, calls for Verma's cooperation with the ongoing investigation.

During the proceedings, Verma's legal representatives argued that the Chhattisgarh High Court had mistakenly demanded custodial interrogation, asserting that the accusations lacked merit. The state government, represented by Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, countered this by indicating that substantial evidence exists against Verma.

The NAN scam revolves around alleged corruption in the supply of food items, entangling several high-profile individuals, including bureaucrats. Verma's petition to overturn the high court's denial of anticipatory bail, previously dismissed by a trial court, continues under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC.

(With inputs from agencies.)