Verma, wife get bail; re-arrested in fresh case

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In a dramatic turnaround of events, businessman Abhishek Verma and his wife were arrested on Wednesday afresh by the CBI in a forgery case lodged on Sports Minister Ajay Maken's complaint, minutes after they were granted bail by a Delhi court in a corruption case.

The CBI sleuths effected arrest of Verma and his Romanian wife Anca Maria Neacsu in the court of Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Jain itself, soon after the couple were granted bail in the corruption case involving their bid to influence unknown officials to stall a government's move to blacklist a Swiss arms firm.

With the CBI arresting the couple in forgery case, the court remanded him back in judicial custody for a day.

The special court granted bail to the couple after the agency failed to file charge sheet in stipulated 60 days after their arrest in the corruption case.

They were arrested on June 8 for allegedly receiving money from a Swiss arms firm to stall its blacklisting proceedings by the government. During the proceedings, Enforcement Directorate (ED) also moved the court for its permission to arrest the couple in a money laundering case registered against them.

The court, however, allowed the ED to interrogate Verma and his wife in Tihar Jail itself and said the agency may effect the arrest, if required.
While remanding the couple to back in judicial custody, the judge said, "The arrest has been effected by Inspector Vipin Kumar in the court itself and identity of the Investigating Officer is not in dispute at all. I do not find any substance in the opposition of the defence counsel in any manner."

"Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case, both the accused are remanded to judicial custody till tomorrow."

Earlier during the proceeding, the court granted bail to Verma and his wife on a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh each and two sureties of the same amount each.

The CBI told the court that a fresh forgery case has been registered on Wednesday against the couple and they both should be remanded to judicial custody.

During the arguments on the bail pleas in the corruption case, the CBI prosecutor admitted that the charge sheet should have been filed within 60 days in accordance with the provisions of the CrPC failing which the accused are entitled for bail.

But the CBI prosecutor added that another case was registered against Verma for writing a letter to the Prime Minister on a forged letterhead of erstwhile Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken seeking easing of business visa norms in 2009.

Acting on Maken's complaint that the letter was forged, the CBI registered a fresh case against Verma under section 469 of the IPC which relates to forgery for purpose of harming reputation.

Verma and his wife were granted bail in a case against them for allegedly receiving USD 530,000 from Rheinmetall Air Defence AG (RAD) for using his influence to stall blacklisting proceedings initiated by Indian government.

The CBI has booked the couple under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly giving bribe to public servants.

The couple had been questioned by the CBI regarding the transactions of funds between Ganton India and Ganton USA, which are said to be his front companies, and about his business relationships with estranged associate C. Edmon Allen who had levelled several allegations against them with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In June, Verma had moved a Delhi court accusing Allen of cheating him of Rs 55 crore and forging documents and emails to defame him.

Allen had filed the complaint with CBI and other officials accusing Verma of receiving funds from RAD for bailing it out.

Verma is also an accused in the Naval War Room leak case in which commercial naval secrets were leaked to foreign firms.

Ravi Shankaran, kin of former Naval chief Arun Prakash, is also an accused in this case.