New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS): The Supreme Court has granted regular bail to the main accused Ankit Sharma in the Alwar Central Cooperative Bank Scam.

In 2019, a written complaint was made by the chief manager, Alwar Central Cooperative Bank Ltd, at police station - Kotwali in Rajasthan's Alwar, alleging certain irregularities and embezzlement of amount to the tune of Rs 16 crore within the bank by its employees.

An FIR was subsequently registered against the accused under section of 409 and 420 of IPC 1860. Consequently, a charge sheet was filed and charges were also framed. The allegation of the prosecution is that Ankit Sharma, who was an employee of the bank, was the main accused in the matter.

Advocate Namit Saxena, representing the accused, argued that the accused deserves to be released on bail as the allegations are false and the provisions of Section 437(6) CrPC are mandatory in nature.

A bench comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Sudhanshu Dhulia said: "The appellant has already undergone detention for about one year. It is pointed out by the learned counsel for the appellant that a charge sheet has also been submitted. Taking into consideration these factors, we set aside the order under appeal and direct that the appellant be released on bail on such terms the Trial Court may consider fit and proper."

The top court passed the order on February 6, which was uploaded on Tuesday.

Allowing the appeal, the bench said, "The appellant, however, must not delay the trial in any manner whatsoever and shall remain present on all days he is required to be present before the Trial Court in the course of trial."

The bench noted that respondent (Rajasthan government) goes unrepresented in spite of service, initially on the state and thereafter upon the standing counsel for the state government.