HC declines to grant bail to accused in TSPSC DAO paper leak

HYDERABAD: The vacation court of the Telangana High Court headed by Justice Sambasivarao Naidu on Thursday declined to grant regular bail to the married couple, Sai Laukik and Sai Sushmita, both accused in the TS-PSC paper leak case.

The petition was filed by Sai Laukik and Sai Sushmita, who were arrayed as accused 17 and 18 in the case registered on TS-PSC DAO exam paper leak case.

According to the SIT, Sai Laukik had paid Rs 6 lakh to P. Praveen, who allegedly played a crucial role and is the prime accused in the TSPSC paper leakage case, and obtained the district accounts cfficer (DAO) exam question paper. He gave it to Sushmita, who was appearing for the exam.

Counsel for the petitioner B, Ramulu contended that some of the other accused were granted bail and the petitioners were lodged in jail since the last 42 days. He also submitted that the investigation officers have interrogated the couple for three days by obtaining custody orders after their arrest in the first week of April.

Additional public prosecutor Ramana Rao representing SIT, opposed the bail petition filed by the Couple.  He said Sushmita secured the copy of the question paper and wrote the exam. Apart from that, accused Sai Laukik, the husband of Sushmita, circulated the question paper to other aspirants by taking huge sums from them.

Ramana Rao also submitted that the petitioners have not cooperated during the investigation and they did not reveal the names of those to whom they had circulated the question paper.

It was yet to be confirmed whether they had received only the DAO paper or any other paper from the prime accused, the additional public prosecutor argued. He said the SIT is thoroughly investigating the financial and other property transactions made by these couples in the last one year.

After hearing the arguments, the judge was not inclined to grant bail. When the court was to dismiss the bail application, counsel for petitioner requested its permission to withdraw the petition, with liberty to approach the trial court for bail.