Ex CM Dhumal and his sons granted bail by Dharamshala court in HPCA case

Dharamshala, October 27, 2014: The Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge of Dharamshala, Davinder Kumar on Monday granted bail to former chief minister and leader of opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal and ten others in case of cheating and mistrust in Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) case. Ex CM Himachal and senior BJP leader of the state P K Dhumal and his parliamentarian son and Himachal cricket body chief Anurag Thakur and the younger son of Dhumal Arun Dhumal and10 others, were granted bail by this court in a case under sections 420, 406, 218, 120(B) and 201 of the IPC and section 13(B) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Earlier The state vigilance and anti corruption bureau after a year- long investigation had filed charge sheet in the case on April 25, 2014
According to the special public prosecutor Satish Thakur, the court of additional district and sessions judge Davinder Kumar granted bail to 11 of the 16 accused under section 439 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) after furnishing bail bond and surety bond of Rs 25000 each. He said that court has also granted exemption to Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur from appearing in the court. Thakur had sought exemption from personal citing as a meeting of parliamentary standing committee on information technology headed by him. The 11 accused who surrendered before court have been given the copy of the challan and the next hearing will be on December 19.
Arun Dhumal, Vishal Marwah and Surender Thakur remained absent as summons could not be served upon them," told the public prosecutor. Arun Dhumal is younger son of Prem Kumar Dhumal while Vishal Marwah and Surender Thakur is HPCA's honorary secretary and vice- president respectively.
Court also issued summon against senior Himachal Administrative Service (HAS) officer Gopal Sharma against whom prosecution sanction has been granted.
Two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers Deepak Sanan (then principal secretary, revenue) and Ajay Sharma (then director of sports and youth services) were not summoned as prosecution sanction against them is still awaited.
The vigilance bureau accused HPCA of acquiring land fraudulently by deception and illegal means, obtaining documents -- NOCs (no objection certificates) and other certificates -- fraudulently with a criminal intention, and conversion of HPCA, which was registered as a society, into company with ulterior motives to cause wrongful loss to the state.
Dhumal, who was named in the chargesheet faces charges of 'misuse of the office of chief minister' in granting approvals to the HPCA for land to build the cricket stadium to cricket body led by his own son.
Governor of Himachal Pradesh Urmila Singh had granted prosecution sanction against Dhumal on April 2.
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