Supreme Court grants bail to Congress leader Mohammed Moquim in loan irregularities case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Senior Congress leader Mohammed Moquim in a loan irregularities case.

After hearing arguments from both sides on an SLP filed by the Cuttack-Barabati MLA, the Apex Court suspended his sentence till the disposal of the SLP.

However, the Bench refused to grant a stay on his conviction.

On October 19, 2022, the Orissa High Court upheld the decision of a special vigilance court that sentenced Moquim and others to three years imprisonment in the loan irregularities case.

On September 29, 2022, a vigilance court had convicted Moquim, who is also the Managing Director of Metro Builders Private Limited, for obtaining a financial benefit on behalf of his company in the form of loans intended for the rural poor from ORHDC.

Moquim challenged the verdict before the Orissa High Court, which stayed the conviction pending appeal. The Odisha Vigilance department then filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court against the High Court’s October 19 order.

The Apex Court had ordered the High Court to dispose of the appeal within six months on September 22.