JUDGMENT

C. Hari Shankar, J. These are applications for regular bail, filed by the accused in FIR No. 495/2017 dated 16th September, 2017, registered at PS Punjabi Bagh.

2. Consequent on investigations pursuant to the aforementioned FIR, charge sheet, dated 21st December, 2017, was filed before the learned Metropolitan Magistrate (hereinafter referred to as "the learned MM"), Tis Hazari Courts.

3. In order to appreciate the nature of the case, as was sought to be built up by the prosecution against the three applicants, it would be apposite to set out the facts, as recited/alleged in the charge sheet itself.

Case of the prosecution as set out in the charge sheet

4. The proceedings commenced from a complaint dated 6th September, 2017, by a 90 year-old man, Basu Dev Aggarwal (hereinafter referred to as "the complainant"). In the said complaint, the complainant alleged that the present applicants, amongst others, had been repeatedly extorting money from him, over a period of twelve to thirteen years, threatening to publicize morphed photographs, depicting the complainant in a compromising position with a particular lady named Pooja with whom, the complainant would allege, he had