Todi bros get bail in Rizwanur death case

Ashok Todi and his brother Pradeep Todi, Kolkata based industrialists, have been granted bail on Friday by the Supreme Court in the computer graphics trainer Rizwanur Rehman death case.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam granted the duo bail on a bail bond of Rs one lakh each and warned the Todi brothers not try to influence the witnesses.

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The Bench also asked them to surrender their passports before the court and not to move out of Kolkata without prior permission of the CBI.

The CBI though argued that the accused would try to influence the investigation if freed on bail, but the Bench did not agree with the contention. The Bench though asked the CBI to move an application for cancellation of bail if the accused found indulge in such attempts.

Earlier, Rizwanur's mother Kishwar Jahan had opposed Todi's bail plea in the High Court.

The Kolkata High Court, where the proceedings were taking place, on Oct 16, 2007, had ordered the CBI inquiry into the Rizwanur’s mysterious suicide case, calling off the investigation carrying out by the State government as illegal.

Seven persons were named in the case as accused, including three police officers, former deputy commissioner (detective department) Ajoy Kumar, former assistant commissioner anti-rowdy section, Sukanti Chakraborty and Krishnendu Das. They were charged with abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation and conspiracy.

The three police officers, including another accused Anil Saraogi, Todi’s brother-in-law, are on bail, while the others are in judicial custody. Ashok Todi had earlier surrendered before the CBI court on Dec 1 last year.

According to CBI, Rizwanur Rehman committed suicide on September 21, 2007, barely a month after marrying Priyanka. However, the CBI charged Priyanka’s father Ashok Todi, uncle Pradeep Todi, and maternal uncle Saraogi, including the three police officers, with abetting, instigating, and hatching conspiracy that caused the death of Rizwanur Rehman.