IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. OF 2026
(ARISING OUT OF S.L.P. (CRL.) NO. 16465 OF 2026)
SANDIP GHOSH Appellant
VERSUS
CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Respondent
[Source: Supreme Court of India, www.sci.gov.in — order dated 15.10.2026. Paragraph numbers printed as 1) to 9) in the original.]
O R D E R
1. Leave granted.
2. The appellant has been chargesheeted as an accused in connection with Special Case No.1 of 2025 arising out of CBI Case No.RC0102024A0007 dated 24.08.2024, registered at Central Bureau of Investigation, Anti-Corruption Branch, Kolkata for the offences punishable under Section 120-B read with Sections 409, 420, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short, ‘the IPC’) and Sections 7, 13(2) read with 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (for short, ‘the PC Act). Aggrieved by the rejection of the bail applications by the Special CBI Court vide order dated 07.01.2025 as well as by the High Court vide impugned order dated 23.02.2026 in CRM(M) No.1228 of 2025, the appellant is before us.
3. We have heard the learned senior counsel appearing for the appellant and the learned Additional Solicitor General appearing for the respondent-Central Bureau of Investigation and have also perused the materials placed on record.
4. The allegations as against the appellant are with respect to two aspects. One is regarding financial irregularities in the College where the appellant was the Principal and the other is with regard to accommodating undeserving candidates through manipulation of merit scores.
5. Suffice it to state that the appellant has undergone incarceration for more than two years and we have been informed that only 07 out of 147 witnesses have been examined so far.
6. In such view of the matter, considering the period of incarceration and also the stage of the trial, we are inclined to set aside the impugned order passed by the High Court and allow this appeal.
7. Accordingly, the impugned order dated 23.02.2026 passed by the High Court stands set aside, and the appellant is granted bail on such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the concerned Trial Court.
8. Accordingly, the appeal stands allowed in the above terms.
9. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of.
(M.M. SUNDRESH) J.
(PRASANNA B. VARALE) J.
NEW DELHI;
OCTOBER 15, 2026.
Sandip Ghosh v. Central Bureau of Investigation
The text below is reproduced from the judgment for reference. The article summarises the Court's decision; refer to the original judgment for the authoritative text.