Cash-for-vote case: Accused move HC for bail

Sudheendra Kulkarni, former aide of BJP leader LK Advani and an accused in cash-for-vote case, today moved the Delhi High Court against refusal of bail to him by the trial court.

Besides, Kulkarni, former BJP MPs Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahabir Singh Bhagora also approached High Court challenging the verdict of the trial court dismissing their bail pleas.

Kulkarni, who is in jail since September 27, has challenged the trial court's rejection of his bail plea saying he was the "guiding star" and "facilitator" of the "conspiracy aimed at mocking" the Republic of India.

In the petition filed through advocate Mahipal Ahluwalia, Kulkarni said he, along with the BJP MPs, got involved in the sting operation, conducted by a private news channel only to expose the "horse trading" that was going on to save the then UPA-I government in the vote of trust in the Lok Sabha on July 22, 2008.

Cliaming themselves to be "whistleblowers" who helped in exposing the corruption to save the government, they pleaded the trial court had wrongly dismissed their plea for bail and that order should be set aside.

The trial court had on October 21 dismissed the bail pleas of Kulkarni, Bhagora and Kulaste.

The court had brushed aside the contentions of the accused of being whistleblowers in the case saying despite having "ample opportunities" they did not disclose about the bribe given to them to any law enforcing agency.

Besides, the then former Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh, BJP MP Ashok Argal, SP MP Rewati Raman Singh have also been made accused in the case.

The High Court had earlier granted bail to Amar Sigh on medical ground and it had also stayed the summoning order issued by the trial court to Rewati Raman Singh.

Besides the political leaders, alleged BJP activist Suhail Hindustani and Amar Singh's aide Sanjeev Saxena are facing prosecution in the case for their alleged complicity in the case.