No anticipatory bail in evidence tampering case

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea for anticipatory bail made by an employee of a Haveri court in a case of tampering with the court documents in a criminal case, resulting into acquittal of the accused.

"It is not a fit case for anticipatory bail," a bench of justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said, rejecting the petition by Libert A Vaz.

The petitioner had challenged a Karnataka High Court order of June 18, which dismissed his application for anticipatory bail.

The top court said that if the petitioner surrendered within two weeks and applied for regular bail, his application shall be considered forthwith, including all the factors raised by him in his defence.

The sessions judge, in the case in mention, had lodged a complaint against Vaz and Dr Nagaraj S Kuri, a medical officer and two policemen for tampering with the dying declaration of a woman, Pavitra, resulting in the acquittal of the accused in a case of murder and dowry harassment.

The high court had refused to grant any relief to Vaz, saying, "being a court official, a serious allegation regarding the tampering of the sessions case records is made against him by none else than a sessions judge, giving reasons for such a finding."