JUDGMENT

P.K. BALASUBRAMANYAN, J.—

1.Leave granted.

2.This Appeal by Special Leave by the Central Bureau of Investigation challenges the order of the High Court granting bail to the respondent, at the relevant time, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mumbai. The respondent was arrested in connection with criminal cases registered in what has come to be known as the stamp scam. The respondent is arrayed as accused No. 65 in C.R. No. 135 of 2002 initially registered at Bund Garden Police Station, Pune for different offences under the Indian Penal Code as well as under Sections 3 and 24 read with Section 2(1)(a)(d) of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) read with Sections 7 and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The charges against him, inter alia, comprised of charges 58 to 70. The charges included the charge that the respondent had conspired to commit, to abet, to knowingly facilitate the commission of an organised crime, namely, the printing and sale of fake stamp papers and thereby was guilty of offences under the MCOCA, which carried a minimum punishment of imprisonment for five years but which could extend to life. The respondent was arrested on 7.1.20