The Supreme Court of India granted bail to former IAS officer Anil Tuteja in the Chhattisgarh DMF irregularities case, noting that several co-accused had already secured bail and that examination of nearly 85 prosecution witnesses would considerably delay the trial.
The Supreme Court of India has granted bail to former IAS officer Anil Tuteja in connection with the alleged District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund irregularities case in Chhattisgarh. Tuteja is accused of misusing his position in the Industry Department to manipulate the allocation of works under the DMF scheme.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi granted relief after taking note of the fact that several co-accused persons in the matter had already been released on bail. The Court also observed that around 85 prosecution witnesses were yet to be examined, indicating that the trial would likely take considerable time to conclude.
The bench noted in its order,
“This matter is at the stage where the prosecution witnesses are to be examined. Taking into consideration the period spent in custody and the fact that the conclusion of trial is likely to take time, we deem it appropriate to grant bail to the petitioner. The petitioner shall remain outside the State and shall not make any attempt to influence the witnesses,”
Background Details:
Earlier in April, the Chhattisgarh High Court had rejected Tuteja’s bail plea after considering the seriousness of the allegations, his alleged role in the offences, and the possibility of influencing witnesses owing to his senior bureaucratic position. Justice Narendra Kumar Vyas had heard the matter.
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Tuteja was arrested in February this year under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The case originated from an investigation conducted by the Economic Offences Wing and Anti-Corruption Bureau following a 2024 report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate regarding alleged corruption in the utilisation of District Mineral Foundation funds in Korba district.
The former bureaucrat was taken into custody on February 23, 2024, in relation to alleged financial irregularities linked not only to the DMF matter but also to the rice milling and liquor scam investigations.
The court noted the State’s objection to the grant of bail on the ground that Mr. Tuteja was a “habitual offender”, and that he was allegedly involved in multiple scams related to liquor, coal, betting, and other matters.
“He has a hand in all the scams,” the State’s Additional Advocate General Ravi Sharma submitted.
Appearing for Tuteja before the Supreme Court, Senior Advocate Shoeb Alam argued that his client was not a flight risk and was entitled to personal liberty. Opposing the plea, Additional Advocate General Ravi Sharma strongly resisted the grant of bail, alleging that Tuteja had a history of tampering with evidence.
The bench was told,
“These are chats of him with former law officer to secure bail for himself and another co-accused,”
In March this year, the Supreme Court had declined Tuteja’s request seeking a blanket direction restraining authorities from registering any fresh cases against him. The Court had instead permitted him to approach the High Court for anticipatory bail wherever he apprehended arrest in future cases.
At that stage, the Bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi had remarked,
“It’s not that these cases are politically motivated. You are a bureaucrat who has enjoyed power for so many years. Here the issue concerns public money going into private hands. If you are involved, you are involved. You go and apply for bail.’
Mr. Shoeb Alam submitted that Mr. Tuteja served as a Joint Secretary in the Department of Industry, while the contracts and civil works were issued by the relevant District Collectors. He contended that Mr. Tuteja had no role in, and was not involved in, the issuance of these contracts.
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The senior advocate further said that in court in September 2024, the State had described Mr. Tuteja as the “kingpin” in the case, but that the authorities had proceeded to arrest him only in February 2026.
He also alleged that there had been an “evergreening of offences” against Mr. Tuteja, with a fresh FIR allegedly being registered against him before he could secure bail in the earlier case.
Mr. Alam submitted on behalf of his client,
“I am retired. Put me out of the State of Chhattisgarh. I want to be with my family,”
During those proceedings, Alam had submitted that Tuteja had already spent nearly 20 months in custody after the Supreme Court set aside the bail granted to him in the liquor scam case. He argued that investigating agencies were deliberately delaying action in other cases until his release from custody.
Alam had submitted,
“They do not take me into remand in other cases during this period when I am already in custody. Let them interrogate me in all cases instead of waiting for the time when I am released on bail. There is a pattern visible in all these cases,”
Responding to the submission, the Bench observed that the argument may evoke sympathy but lacked legal merit.
The bench had told Alam,
“When seen through a legal lens, your argument cannot be accepted as we cannot enforce your arrest when the agency is not willing to do so,”
Case Title: Anil Tuteja vs State of Chhattisgarh.
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