Journalist Vinod Verma gets bail in Chhattisgarh minister sex CD case

A special CBI court on Thursday granted bail to senior journalist Vinod Verma, who was arrested on October 27 for allegedly circulating a sex CD of Chhattisgarh PWD Minister Rajesh Munat.

The news was also confirmed by Verma’s lawyer Faisal Rizvi, who said the CBI court granted bail after taking cognizance of the fact that police could not file challan within the stipulated time period.

Following journalist Verma's arrest on October 27 from his Ghaziabad residence by the Chhattisgarh Police, he was sent to judicial custody on October 31 for 14 days. Later, his judicial remand was extended till December 11.

Also Read | Journalist Vinod Verma arrest: Chhattisgarh minister Rajesh Munat calls CD claims fake

According to the Raipur police, a case of blackmailing and extortion was registered at the Pandri police station based on a complaint by a BJP leader Prakash Bajaj who said he “was being harassed over the phone by an unidentified caller who told him that he had a CD of his ‘aka’ (master)”.

After investigation, a search team was sent to Delhi and Verma was held from Ghaziabad in this connection, the police had said and also claimed to have recovered 500 “sex” CDs, a pen drive and a laptop from him.

The Chhattisgarh government had recommended a CBI probe.

(With PTI inputs)