Supreme Court grants bail to banned Jharkhand group's zonal commander in extortion, terror financing case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim bail to an alleged zonal commander of the banned Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), who is facing trial on charges of extortion and terror financing under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.

The TPC is a splinter group of the proscribed CPI (Maoist).

Granting relief to Dashrath Singh Bhokta alias Dashrath Ganjhu, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the fact that the other main accused are already out on bail.

The bench directed the trial court to impose adequate conditions to secure his presence for the remainder of the proceedings.

The court passed the order despite the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which was represented by Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj, opposing Bhokta's plea challenging a Jharkhand High Court order denying him bail.

Natraj submitted that Bhokta was a member of a banned outfit and only six of the 60 prosecution witnesses remained to be examined. He urged the court to take up the matter after the winter break.

The bench, however, granted interim relief to Bhokta, taking into account prolonged custody and the parity principle.

Bhokta has been in judicial custody since May 17, 2020, in connection with the Panki police station case, which was later taken over by the NIA.

He is accused of extorting money from businessmen and contractors across Jharkhand, allegedly using the funds to procure weapons and finance the TPC's activities, and of acquiring property in his wife's name using the illegal proceeds.