Pooja Rajput Granted Bail in Fake Enforcement Directorate Raid Case
In a recent development, a Delhi court has granted bail to Pooja Rajput, who is accused of participating in a fraudulent raid impersonating Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at an elderly couple’s residence in New Friends Colony (NFC). The order was issued by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Vinod Joshi of the South-East District, Saket Courts, on June 11.
The court observed that the items recovered from Rajput’s residence were allegedly linked to a co-accused named Prakash, who is already in custody. Moreover, the court noted that the investigation pertaining to Rajput is complete, and she has already endured a significant period in detention.
Court’s Rationale for Granting Bail
The court stated, “The chargesheet has already been filed against the accused, and this is the first bail application since the filing of the chargesheet. Hence, no fruitful purpose shall be served by keeping the accused behind bars.”
The case revolves around an incident where three individuals, pretending to be ED officers, allegedly entered the home of 86-year-old RC Sabharwal, a retired senior architect, in NFC in February. The accused reportedly intimidated the family, confiscated their mobile phones, and coerced them into displaying their jewellery and cash during the so-called raid.
Details of the Case and Arrests
Following the incident, police arrested Pooja Rajput and Rekha Devi, who was employed as a domestic help at the complainants’ residence. Rekha Devi is Rajput’s sister-in-law, and both are accused of conspiring to deceive the elderly couple. Law enforcement officials found police uniforms and identity cards linked to co-accused Prakash at Rajput’s home.
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Rajput’s legal representative, Advocate Gaurav Nautiyal, argued that she was not the principal actor in the crime, emphasizing that no recovery was made from her personally. It was further contended that Rajput had spent a substantial amount of time in custody and was prepared to comply with any bail conditions imposed by the court.
State’s Opposition and Bail Conditions
The State, represented by Additional Public Prosecutor Tarun Srivastava, opposed the bail application, asserting that Rajput was actively involved in the conspiracy. The State also underscored the gravity of the crime and mentioned that two other accused individuals remain at large.
Despite these arguments, Rajput was granted bail upon posting a bail bond of ₹25,000, along with two sureties of the same amount.
