Abhay Chautala visits Rio without permission, CBI wants bail cancelled

New Delhi: CBI on Wednesday sought cancellation of bail granted by a Delhi court to INLD chief OP Chautala's son Abhay, accused in a disproportionate assets case, for going to attend the Rio Olympics without its permission.

Seeking court's direction to Abhay Chautala to surrender in the case, CBI said he was no longer the President of Indian Olympic Association and there was "no public interest" in his visit to Brazil to attend the Olympics.

Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Kumar Gupta argued that it was not necessary for the court to mention in the bail order that the accused is required to take its permission before leaving the country.

"If it is not mentioned in the court order, does this mean that the accused can tamper with evidence? Similarly, it is implied that the accused has to seek court's permission before going abroad," he submitted.

On hearing the arguments, Special CBI Judge Sanjay Garg-I, reserved the order for August 22 on the issue.

The court had earlier sought CBI's reply after Abhay's counsel sought exemption from personal appearance of the politician on the ground that he has gone to Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics.

The court had also wondered how the politician had left the country without its permission.

The defence counsel had said that Abhay, being a sports administrator and ex-President of Indian Olympic Association, has gone to attend the Olympics from August 2 to 25.

He had also said there was no specific condition imposed by the court in the bail order regarding seeking its permission to go abroad.

The court also heard arguments on a plea by CBI seeking to place on record some additional documents in the case, which was opposed by the defence counsel. The court also reserved its order on the application for August 22.

CBI had lodged a case of disproportionate assets against INLD chief and former Haryana Chief Minister O P Chautala and his sons Ajay and Abhay on a complaint of Congress leader Shamsher Singh Surjewala.

Chautala and Ajay were sentenced to ten years in jail early this year by the high court in the 1999-2000 junior teachers recruitment scam.

CBI had on March 26, 2010 chargesheeted Chautala indicting him for allegedly possessing assets worth Rs 6.09 crore, far exceeding his legal income between 1993 and 2006.

Two such cases are going on against his sons, Ajay and Abhay. In its charge sheet, the CBI had alleged that Chautala's wealth was 189 per cent more than his income of Rs 3.22 crore during the period.

Abhay allegedly owned assets worth over five times his income of Rs 22.89 crore as per income tax records during the 2000-2005 period. The agency claimed to have found Rs 119.69 crore worth of assets.

The CBI had also claimed that Ajay possessed assets exceeding his legal income by 339.27 per cent. His legal income between May 1993 and May 2006 was Rs 8.17 crore, but had acquired assets worth Rs 27.7 crore, it had alleged.

Earlier, all the three cases, being heard in different courts, were transferred to one court on CBI's plea that these cases be put up before a single judge as trials in different courts would lead to inordinate delay in concluding them.

All the charges have been denied by Chautala and his sons.