New Delhi: The Supreme Court on May 7 said the trial court can consider grant of further police remand of Shameet Mukherjee, former judge of Delhi High Court, arrested in connection with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) scam, irrespective of the High Court order granting him interim bail.

A Bench comprising justice S Rajendra Babu and justice G P Mathur passed this order on the mentioning of an appeal filed by additional solicitor general R N Trivedi on behalf of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Bench said, "No interference is called for in the High Court order in view of the submissions by the respondent's counsel that the High Court order does not come in the way of trial to consider further grant of court remand of the accused."

Trivedi said the CBI needed to confront Mukherjee with the other co-accused in the case and investigate their role in the passing of orders for consideration of money and other benefits.

The Delhi High Court on May 5 rejected Mukherjee's plea for regular bail, but granted interim bail for a period of 30 days after the expiry of CBI custody on May 7, on health grounds of his wife and mother.

The former judge was asked to furnish a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of a like amount before being released on bail on the expiry of the CBI custody.

In his bail application, Mukherjee's counsel had argued that his wife and mother were ailing and that he was ready to co-operate with the investigating agency even after being enlarged on bail.

Mukherjee was arrested on April 30 on charges of passing a judgement favourable to a hotelier in the capital in return for illegal gratification.

On May 1, he was produced before special judge V K Jain who remanded him to seven-day CBI custody while rejecting his bail plea.

PTI