Rakesh Asthana case: Delhi HC dismisses bail plea of middleman Manoj Prasad
New Delhi, Nov 13: The Delhi High Court Tuesday dismissed the bail plea of middleman Manoj Prasad in a bribery case allegedly involving CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana.
Justice Najmi Waziri denied the relief to Prasad, saying the allegations against him were serious in nature and noted the CBI submission that the investigation is at a crucial stage.
Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee and Advocate Rajdipa Behura, appearing for the CBI opposed the bail plea on the grounds that investigation was at a crucial stage and Prasad's case was different from that of other accused.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Prasad, said he has been in custody for nearly a month and he has not been interrogated even once by the CBI during this period.
Prasad had approached the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking bail in the case, following dismissal of his similar application by a trial court here on November 3.
The trial court had denied bail to Prasad, saying it was not a fit stage to grant him the relief.
Prasad, who was arrested by the CBI on October 17, is currently in judicial custody.
Prasad, Asthana and CBI's Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar have also filed separate petitions in the high court seeking quashing of the FIR against them which are listed for hearing on Wednesday.
In his bail plea before the trial court, Prasad had claimed that he was not required for custodial interrogation and no purpose will be served by keeping him in further custody.
The probe agency had opposed his plea, saying the accused was an influential person and if released on bail, he may tamper with the ongoing probe and flee from justice.
Kumar, who was arrested on October 23, was granted bail by the trial court on October 31.
While hearing Prasad's plea challenging the FIR, the high court had earlier observed that his case was on a different footing from that of Asthana and Kumar.
It had said Prasad was a private person while Asthana and Kumar were public servants and nothing stops the CBI from probing a private individual.
Prasad, a resident of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, has also sought a stay on the investigation by the agency till the disposal of the petition.
The CBI had registered the case against Asthana on the basis of a complaint from Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana, facing probe in the 2017 case allegedly involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi.
Sana alleged that the officer had helped him get a clean chit.
The agency had arrested Prasad in the case, when he returned from Dubai. It was alleged by Sana that Prasad and his brother Somesh had taken Rs 2 crore to arrange a clean chit to him.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
