Supreme Court Grants Bail To ‘Vyapam’ Scam Whistleblower Doctor Anand Rai In Criminal Case

The Supreme Court has recently on January 13 granted bail to the whistleblower named Dr. Anand Rai in a famous matter of the ‘Vyapam’ scam-related protest in Madhya Pradesh.

The petitioner was arrested on November 15 after the registration of an FIR against him and the High Court and Trial Court dismissed his bail pleas.

A two-Judge Bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha ordered, “Having regard to the period of custody as an under trial and the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the considered view that the petitioner may be enlarged on bail. We accordingly direct that the petitioner be released on bail subject to such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the trial court.”

Advocate Sumeer Sodhi appeared on behalf of the petitioners while Advocate Pashupathi Nath Razdan represented the respondents.

In this case, the petitioner was arrested on November 15, 2022. The Trial Court rejected the bail application of the petitioner on November 17. Thereafter, the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed the criminal appeal filed by the petitioner under Section 14(2) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act refusing bail in connection with the offences punishable under Sections 294, 341, 353, 332, 146, 147, 336, 506 and 333 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3(1) (r)(s), 3(2)(va) of the SC-ST Act.

A complaint was lodged against the petitioner and others in relation to a protest during which stones were allegedly pelted on a convoy of the local MP, a few MLAs, and the collector, who went to attend events in the memory of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. A security person of the collector got injured in the incident.

Earlier, the petitioner had played an active role in the unearthing of the Vyapam scam which was later probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Supreme Court, therefore, disposed of the Special Leave Petition.

Accordingly, the Court granted bail to the petitioner.

Cause Title- Anand Rai v. The State of Madhya Pradesh & Anr.

Click here to read/download the Order