CBI today opposed in a Delhi court the bail plea of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, chargesheeted along with controversial businessman Abhishek Verma in a case of alleged forgery of AICC General Secretary Ajay Maken's letter which was sent to the Prime Minister.
Tytler, who appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued against him, moved the bail application, saying he was not required for any custodial interrogation.
Special CBI Judge V K Gupta heard the arguments on the bail plea and reserved the order for today itself.
During the arguments, CBI prosecutor Atul Sharma said that Tytler is a "very influential person" and can tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses.
"He is a very influential person. We have some witnesses over here and they can be manipulated and evidence can be tampered with. Looking into all the apprehensions, we are opposing his bail plea," the prosecutor said.
The court, on September 6, had taken cognisance of CBI's charge sheet which was filed on a complaint of then Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken that a forged letter on his letterhead was written to the Prime Minister by Verma seeking easing of business visa norms in 2009.
Verma is lodged in Tihar Jail after being arrested in various cases lodged against him by CBI and Enforcement Directorate. Verma and his wife Anca Maria, who are presently in judicial custody, were also produced before the court during the hearing.
CBI has alleged that Tytler had "actively connived" with Verma to cheat a Chinese telecom firm and the Congress leader had first shown a "fake and forged" letter to the company's official, claiming that it was written by Maken to the Prime Minister.
Arguing on the bail plea, senior advocate Dinesh Mathur, appearing for Tytler, said the Congress leader's name was added in the charge sheet as an accused at the last moment and it cannot be a case of arrest as he has appeared before the court.