SC notice to Chhattisgarh govt on anticipatory bail plea by former Advocate General

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Chhattisgarh government on a plea by former Advocate General Satish Chandra Verma seeking anticipatory bail for his alleged role in the Nagrik Apurti Nigam scam case.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta recorded a statement from the state government's counsel that no coercive action would be against him until further order from the court.

The court decided to examine the matter on February 28.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Verma contended that the former Advocate General was being hounded due to change in regime.

He submitted that the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail as he is being roped in only on the basis of WhatsApp chats. Since he was the Advocate General, he has been made an accused on the basis of certain WhatsApp chats which he had with certain co-accused in the NAN Case. 

The state represented by Ravi Sharma, Deputy Advocate General, alongwith advocate Apoorv Shukla, claimed that a bare reading of the WhatsApp chats showed the seriousness of the offence and misuse of the Advocate General's office by the petitioner. 

The allegations included charges of influencing the judicial system. However, since the state has not arrested him thus far, that was the ample evidence of the fact that the state is acting fairly and is certainly not persecuting the petitioner, they said.

The counsels further submitted that the perusal of WhatsApp chats will convince the court of the gravity of the offence, which can be placed before the court alongwith the response.

They submitted that given the fact that despite dismissal of anticipatory bail application by two courts the petitioner has not be arrested is assurance enough. The counsel further said that the petitioner will not be arrested until the WhatsApp chats are placed before the court in next three days.

Upon hearing the submissions, the court issued notice and scheduled the matter for consideration on February 28, 2025.

The NAN scam, surfaced in 2015 related to supplying low quality rice, grams, salt etc, has seen several high profile arrests, including of IAS officers, in the past.