Bail order in abeyance: official Jayachandra moves high court

S C Jayachandra, the suspended chief project officer of the State Highway Development Project, has approached the High Court of Karnataka, questioning the Enforcement Directorate (ED) court’s order to keep his bail order in abeyance.

Jayachandra had moved the ED court seeking bail on the grounds that the complaint was not filed by ED even after 60 days. However, when ED representatives failed to appear before the ED court, the court granted him bail. At the time of complying with the surety norms as ordered by the court, the ED’s investigating officer appeared before the court and submitted that a mistake was committed and his application was filed before another court. The ED court even after granting the bail kept the order on abeyance.

Jayachandra has questioned the ED court’s order in his petition before the high court. He has questioned as to how he could be remanded by the ED, without filing a remand application. Justice John Michael D’Cunha adjourned the hearing for two weeks.

On November 30, 2016, Income Tax officials during their raid on Jayachandra’s house found Rs 5 lakh in new Rs 2,000 notes, besides other unaccounted-for wealth. Following this, ED officials arrested him in a money-laundering case.

The CBI and the ACB too have registered cases against Jayachandra. His bail plea was rejected by the high court last month.