By IANS,
Ranchi : A vigilance court in Jharkhand Saturday rejected the bail petition of former minister Harinarayan Rai, who is in jail on graft charges, and extended his judicial custody by 14 days.
Special Vigilance Judge Vinay Kant Khan rejected the bail petition as the charges against Rai were serious.
Rai and another former minister, Enos Ekka, had surrendered in the court Aug 17. They had evaded arrest for more then a month and a half after the vigilance court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against them June 27.
Rai was sent to judicial custody for 14 days. The custody, ending Monday, was extended Saturday as the courts are closed for the next two days.
Ekka’s judicial custody was also extended and the court will hear his bail petition Sep 1.
Vigilance sleuths say that the department has found assets worth Rs.3.73 crore with Ekka and Rs 1.16 crore assets with Rai. In November, the vigilance department had filed a first information report against them, charging them with embezzling public funds, amassing wealth illegally and conspiracy.