Court rejects bail of HPCA spokesperson

DHARAMSHALA: The Indora circuit bench of additional district and sessions court on Friday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association's (HPCA) spokesperson Sanjay Sharma in a cheating and misappropriation case registered against the cricket body.

Sharma had applied for anticipatory bail on November 16. The vigilance bureau had registered a case against HPCA on August 1 following an inquiry into alleged irregularities in land allotment to the cricket body for constructing a five-star residential complex.

HPCA is facing another case over demolition of a government building without permission. The court had earlier rejected the bail plea of three other HPCA officials - treasurer Attar Singh Negi, vice-president Surender Thakur and joint-secretary Prem Thakur in the same case.

All the four officials have now gone underground to avoid arrest. Meanwhile, the court granted bail to two government functionaries, retired SDO M C Katoch and executive engineer D C Chauhan, who were arrested by vigilance sleuths. Both the officials are accused of conniving with HPCA in demolition of a government building.