Narada Scam Case: Special Court Grants Bail To West Bengal Ministers And Others

A Special CBI court [City Sessions Court, Bichar Bhawan, Calcutta] on Monday (May 17) granted interim bail two ministers of Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, a TMC MLA and a former Kolkata mayor in the infamous Narada scam case. Judge Anupam Mukherjee granted bail to All India Trinamool Congress leaders and Ministers, Firhad Hakim @ Bobby Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee. Earlier today, they were arrested in connection with the Narada sting operation, which allegedly exposed cash for favors scam involving some of the top leaders of the Trinamool Congress. They were taken into custody and remanded to Judicial Custody till May 31, 2021. Court's Order The Court noted that as against the accused Madan Mitra, Firhad Hakim @ Bobby Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee and Sovan Chatterjee, the investigation had been completed. Though there is a prayer for further investigation as against other FIR named accused persons but on behalf of the I.O. there is no prayer for CBI custody of the arrested persons noted the Court. On the other hand, the Court also took into account the judgment of the Apex Court, in which the Court had opined that the overcrowding of the accused in the prison might have an effect of the infection of the COVID-19 which should not be encouraged. Accordingly, the Court said that the Apex Court had directed the authorities concerned to decongest the prison for avoiding the infection in between the inmates. "Over and above when the purpose of investigation has already been completed as against the arrested persons Sir Madan Mitra, Firhad Hakim @ Bobby Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee and Sovan Chatterjee and where there is no prayer for C.B.I custody for further interrogation, mere prayer for judicial custody can not be the ground for detention of the arrest persons", ruled the Court. Considering all these aspects, the accused persons namely Madan Mitra, Firhad Hakim @ Bobby Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee and Sovan Chatterjee were granted interim bail of Rs. 50000/- each with two sureties of Rs. 25000/- each.

Narada Scam Case: Special Court Grants Bail To West Bengal Ministers And Others

Sparsh Upadhyay

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