In the Nagrik Apurti Nigam (NAN) scam case, which involves serious allegations of corruption and misconduct, the Supreme Court granted pre-arrest bail to Satish Chandra Verma, the former Advocate General of Chhattisgarh.This decision came after Satish Verma challenged the Chhattisgarh High Court’s February 13 order that had denied him anticipatory bail. The bench, consisting of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, passed the order while hearing the Special Leave Petition.

The case, involving alleged offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860, has gained attention due to purported WhatsApp conversations between Verma and the primary accused, Anil Tuteja and Alok Shukla.

These chats, reportedly uncovered by the Income Tax Department and later shared with the Enforcement Directorate, have been cited as evidence by the State. Authorities claim that Verma was involved in facilitating bail for the key accused, raising concerns about his role in the case.

He first sought anticipatory bail in November last year, but his request was denied by the Sessions Court. When the case reached the Supreme Court, his legal counsel, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, argued that the prosecution was politically motivated, particularly due to the recent change in government.

He further emphasized that the prime accused had already secured bail in 2019, and while the Enforcement Directorate had contested the relief granted, the State had not pursued an appeal against those orders.

On February 21, while issuing notice on Verma’s plea, the Supreme Court recorded the Chhattisgarh government’s assurance that no coercive action would be taken against him until further orders. With the latest ruling in his favor, Verma has secured protection from immediate arrest in the case.

Case Title: SATISH CHANDRA VERMA v. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH | SLP(Crl) No. 2600/2025