Paytm ex-VP still waits for bail plea to be filed

NOIDA: The district court has rejected the

bail

plea of Rohit Jain, the husband of former Paytm vice-president Sonia Dhawan, who are both in judicial custody after being accused by Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma of

stealing

his personal data and trying to

extort

him.


Though Jain’s bail plea was filed in the court of additional sessions judge Nalin Srivastava on November 2, Sonia’s bail application is yet to be submitted. “There isn’t sufficient evidence against my client,” Jain’s lawyer Satish Kumar told TOI on Wednesday. “No money was deposited in his bank account. We contended that Rupak did not know any person by the name of Rohit Chomal,” he added, pointing out that Chomal himself remained absconding.

Sonia, Jain and another Paytm employee Devender Kumar were arrested on October 22 in Noida for allegedly demanding Rs 20 crore from Sharma through a man named Rohit Chomal, the fourth accused in the case who is yet to be arrested.

In its order, the court observed that the

crime

seemed to be of “serious nature”. “Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case and looking at the fact that the accused has committed a serious crime in connivance with his wife and other accused, the crime is of serious nature in my view and the grounds for granting bail are insufficient. The bail plea deserves to be rejected,” reads the judge’s order. The court also noted that the “co-accused Rohit had spoken to the complainant over WhatsApp and mobile which have been recorded… Sufficient proof has been found against the accused in the investigation”.

Kumar said the family was preparing to move the Allahabad high court for Jain’s bail and would do so early next week. Sonia’s sister Rupali refused to comment, saying the family was upset. Kumar said they would move a bail plea for Sonia "soon", ruling out any disagreement within the family. Sonia was Paytm’s communications head when she was arrested for allegedly masterminding the extortion plot.