New Delhi: Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, chargesheeted along with businessman Abhishek Verma in a case of alleged forgery of the then minister of state Ajay Maken's letter head, was on Friday allowed by a Delhi court to go abroad from December 11 till January 1 to attend sports events.
The court allowed Tytler's plea in which he had said he has to go to Turkey to attend a meeting of the International Kurash Association (IKA) and the ninth world Kurash senior championship. "In the totality of facts and circumstances, application is allowed and the accused Jagdish Tytler is permitted to visit Turkey from December 11 to January 1," Special CBI Judge V.K. Gupta said.
Tytler is the chairman of International Kurash Association, according to IKA website. During the arguments, the CBI opposed Tytler's plea contending that there was no "pressing reasons" given by him for visiting abroad and the former Union minister is an 'influential person'.
CBI argued that there is a possibility that Tytler may not return to India. The court, however, allowed the plea and directed Tytler to furnish a security of Rs five lakh. It also said Tytler will not tamper with the evidence and will submit the address and telephone number where he will be staying in Turkey.
He was granted bail in the case on September 30 on a personal bond of Rs two lakh with two sureties of the like amount. The Congress leader, in his plea, had sought permission to go abroad to enable him to "attend the IKA Directing Committee meeting, the IKA XIV ordinary congress meeting and the IX world kurash senior championship."
CBI has alleged that Tytler had "actively connived" with Verma to cheat a Chinese telecom firm and the Congress leader had first shown a "fake and forged" letter to the company's official, claiming that it was written by Maken to the Prime Minister.
Tytler is accused in the case along with Verma, who is presently in judicial custody in connection with cases registered against him by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.
The court had on September 6 taken cognisance of CBI's charge sheet which was filed on a complaint of the then Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken that a forged letter on his letterhead was written to the Prime Minister by Verma seeking easing of business visa norms in 2009. Tytler and Verma have been chargesheeted for the offence of attempting to cheat under IPC and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
CBI, in its charge sheet, has said "investigation has, therefore, revealed that Jagdish Tytler had knowingly and actively connived with Abhishek Verma in attempting to cheat M/s ZTE Telecom India Pvt Ltd." It had chargesheeted Tytler and Verma for their alleged attempt to cheat the Chinese firm on the issue of visa norms.
