BMW case: HC grants bail to Sanjeev Nanda

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted three-week interim bail to Sanjeev Nanda, undergoing five years jail term in the BMW hit-and-run case, so that he could meet his ailing grandfather.

Justice Kailash Gambhir granted three weeks interim bail to Nanda so that he could meet his ailing grandfather, former Naval Chief S M Nanda, who had a distinguished career in the Navy and played a significant role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

"It is well-known that Admiral Nanda, Chief of Naval Staff, had served the nation and was a 1971 war hero. He had a distinguished career.

"In order to help the 1971 war hero to meet his grandson, three weeks interim bail is granted to Nanda," the court said.
On December 16, the court had issued notice to the Delhi Police on contentions of Nanda's counsel and senior advocate Ram Jethmalani that the convict's grandfather was not well and wanted to see him.

"He had been at an advanced stage of Parkinson's disease and at the age of 93, he is afflicted with various diseases besides having suffered two heart attacks," Jethmalani had said, seeking release of Nanda on bail.

Jethmalani had sought bail for Sanjeev referring to the 'excellent' service rendered by Nanda's grandfather to the nation.

"He (S M Nanda) was a man of excellent credentials, who served the nation throughout his life. He was the man who took a boat and went alone to Karachi in 1971 (during the Indo-Pakistan war) to bomb the city."

"He is now above 90 years of age and is losing his memory. Whenever he gets back his memory, he remembers his only grandson," Jethmalani had said.

Nanda, son of arms dealer Suresh Nanda, was sentenced to five-year jail term on September 5 for killing six persons, including three policemen by his BMW car in the wee hours of January 10, 1999 at Lodhi Colony in New Delhi.