Overview
- Setting aside a November 2025 order, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K Vinod Chandran overturned the Allahabad High Court’s grant of bail in a multi‑crore foodgrain fraud case from Bahraich.
- The Court held that bail principles used in heinous violent crimes equally govern serious economic offences because such conduct undermines the quality of life and financial well‑being of victims.
- Describing the accused, Ajay Pal Gupta alias Sonu Chaudhary, as a habitual offender, the bench cited multiple aliases, forged Aadhaar and PAN cards, a 20‑month abscondence, and arrest after a reward was announced.
- The justices faulted the High Court for blindly applying parity with co‑accused and for treating the matter as triable by a magistrate despite charges such as IPC Sections 409 and 467 that can attract life imprisonment.
- Complainant Rakesh Mittal alleges he supplied foodgrains worth over ₹11.52 crore but received about ₹5.02 crore, and the Supreme Court directed the state to expedite the trial.