The Madhya Pradesh High Court at Gwalior has dismissed the fifth bail application of Roop Singh Parihar, a former computer operator in the Land Acquisition Office, who is accused of siphoning off more than ₹5 crore meant for compensation to farmers. The court, presided over by Justice Rajesh Kumar Gupta, observed that granting bail at this stage would be premature given the gravity of allegations and the ongoing investigation.
Background
Parihar was arrested in July 2024 after investigators alleged that he and several associates created fake documents and manipulated official orders to divert land acquisition compensation money.
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According to the case file, payments amounting to ₹6.55 lakh were supposed to go to four landowners, but instead, over ₹25 lakh were distributed among eight individuals. Shockingly, around ₹36.7 lakh went into Parihar’s account, ₹37 lakh into his wife’s account, and several lakhs to other relatives.
Prosecution claimed this was part of a larger scam amounting to ₹5.10 crore, and alleged that Parihar even set fire to revenue records to destroy evidence.
Court's Observations
During the hearing, Parihar’s counsel argued that he was being falsely implicated and cited the example of co-accused Seema Parihar, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court recently. They insisted it was not embezzlement but an accidental overpayment due to clerical errors by the authorities.
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But the State countered strongly "He is the main accused," argued the panel lawyer.
"His land was never acquired. He misused his government login IDs, forged collector's orders, and funnelled public money into his family’s accounts."
Justice Gupta noted that unlike Seema, who faced lesser charges, Roop Singh faces serious charges under IPC sections related to criminal breach of trust, forgery, and corruption.
The Judge remarked,
"It is not a case of parity. The applicant was a government employee with easy access to official records, which he allegedly exploited to fabricate documents and siphon funds."
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The court also pointed out that the trial court had wrongly diluted the charges earlier, and an internal vigilance inquiry may be initiated against the lower court judge for discharging severe charges without proper examination.
Decision
After reviewing the case diary, Justice Gupta ruled that it was not a fit case for bail.
"Considering the nature of allegations, the forged documents, and the magnitude of the misappropriated amount, this court does not find any merit in granting bail at this stage," the order read.
Accordingly, the bail plea was rejected. The court also directed that its order be sent to the Principal Registrar (Vigilance) for placing before the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court to consider disciplinary proceedings against the trial judge who earlier diluted the charges.
Case Title: Roop Singh Parihar vs. The State of Madhya Pradesh
Case Number: Misc. Criminal Case No. 27465 of 2025
