ASHISH PATHAK vs CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Judgment text excerpt

$~6 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of Decision:10th March, 2025. + BAIL APPLN. 3836/2024 & CRL.M.(BAIL) 1747/2024 (for interim bail) ASHISH PATHAK .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Tushar Agarwal, Ms. Tripti Roy, Mr. Arun Kumar and Mr. Amarjeet Singh, Advocates. versus CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION .....Respondent Through: Mr. Ravi Sharma, SPP (CBI) with Mr. Swapnil Choudhary, Mr. Ishann Bhardwaj, Mr. Sagar and Ms. Madhulika Rai Sharma, Advocates. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA JUDGMENT SANJEEV NARULA, J. (Oral): 1. The present application under Section 483 read with Sections 187(3) and 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 20231 (Section 439 read with Sections 167(2) and 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973),2 seeks grant of default regular bail in the proceedings emanating from FIR No. RC-32(S)/2022/SC-III/ND dated 9th December, 2022 registered at P.S. SC-III/ND, under Section 3 of the Official Secret Act, 19233 and Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.4 The Applicant further seeks setting 1 [‘BNSS’] 2 [‘CrPC’] 3 [‘OS Act’] 4 [‘IPC’] Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:NITIN KAIN BAIL APPLN. 3836/2024 Page 1 of 22 Signing Date:12.03.2025 20:23:37 aside of the order dated 19th September, 2024 passed by the Special Judge, PC Act, Rouse Avenue Courts, rejecting the Applicant’s request for regular bail. Factual Background 2. Briefly stated, the facts leading to the filing of the present petition are as follows: 2.1 The Central Bureau of Investigation5 registered Case No. RC- 32(S)/2022/CBI/SC-III/ND PS; Special Crime-III, New Delhi under the OS Act on 9th December, 2022. This FIR was registered on the basis of references issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs6, New Delhi, wherein MHA transferred the investigation of t