BJP leader K Surendran, 71 others granted bail
Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Nov 21: A court here Wednesday granted conditional bail to 72 people, including BJP general secretary K Surendran, who were arrested in connection with the Sabarimala temple row.
Surendran along with two others had been arrested on November 18 from Nilackal as he tried to proceed to the Lord Ayyappa Temple despite being advised by police personnel against visiting Sabarimala due to law and order issues.
The 69 others were arrested after they held a "nama japam" (chanting Lord Ayyappa mantras) inside the shrine complex late on Sunday, defying prohibitory orders.
When their case up before the Munsif court here, all the 73 people were granted bail with strict conditions.
The accused have been asked not to enter Ranni taluk, where the Lord Ayyappa temple is located, for two months and they have been directed to submit two personal sureties of Rs 20,000 each.
The court also rejected the plea of the accused to permit them to visit the hill shrine during the two-month-long "mandala makaravilakku" pilgrim season.
Since a non-bailable warrant is pending against him before the Kannur magistrate court, Surendran will have to seek bail in that case to come of jail.
Restrictions have been imposed at the Lord Ayyappa temple following protests by devotees and activists of the BJP and the RSS over the state government's decision to implement the September 28 Supreme Court order.
The hill shrine was opened on November 16 evening for the over two-month-long pilgrimage season amid tension.
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CBI questions Anil Ambani for second day in connection with 2,929-cr RCom case
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New Delhi (PTI): The CBI on Friday questioned industrialist Anil Ambani for the second consecutive day in connection with a Rs 2,929-crore cheating case, registered against Reliance Communications Ltd and him on a complaint by the State Bank of India, officials said.
Ambani arrived at the agency headquarters at around 10 am, they said.
On Thursday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought his responses on alleged fund diversion, misappropriation and other irregularities in the loan funds issued to the company by the bank, they said.
"The appearance is in furtherance to Mr Ambani's commitment to extend full cooperation in the matter with all agencies," Anil D Ambani's Spokesperson had said in a statement on Thursday.
The CBI had booked Ambani in August last year for allegedly defrauding the SBI to the tune of Rs 2,929 crore, officials said.
According to the SBI complaint, now part of the FIR, the company had an outstanding of over Rs 40,000 crore to various lenders, with the public sector bank alone facing a loss of Rs 2,929 crore, according to 2018 figures.
The CBI booked Ambani and RCom for allegedly committing offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust.
"It is alleged that the accused persons, in criminal conspiracy, misrepresented and got sanctioned credit facilities from SBI in favour of Reliance Communication Ltd," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement in August last year.
Ambani's spokesperson responded, "Anil D Ambani denies all allegations and charges, and will duly defend himself."
According to sources, the agency also searched the Ambani residence 'Sea Wind' at Cuffe Parade in Mumbai.
The complaint filed by SBI pertains to matters dating back more than 10 years, according to Ambani's spokesperson.
At that time, Ambani was a non-executive director of the company, with no involvement in the day-to-day management, a statement from his spokesperson then said.
"The matter remains sub-judice, pending before the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) and other judicial forums, including the Supreme Court, for the past six years," it said.
Anil Ambani has duly challenged SBI's declaration before the competent judicial forum, it said.
