Sarobjit Singh, son of National Commission for Scheduled Castes Chairman Buta Singh, and three others were granted bail by a special CBI court in a bribery case on Thursday. The judge said that if the three were kept in jail they would become hardened criminals and may commit more serious crimes.

Special CBI judge S P Hayatnagarkar granted bail for to Sarobjit Singh, Anup Degi, Madan Solanki and Dukh Singh Chauhan on a surety of Rs one lakh each.

The judge said CBI can investigate the case without having Sarobjit and others in custody as if kept in jail further, they will become hardened criminals and may commit more serious crimes.

CBI had arrested Sarobjit on July 31 for allegedly demanding bribe of Rs one crore from Ramrao Patil, a Nashik-based businessman, for closing cases filed against Patil under the SC/ST Atrocities Act.

The judge asked all the accused to hand over their passports to the investigating officer. He also asked them to appear at CBI office -- wherever they may be living for the time being -- every day.