Kolkata: West Bengal Transport and Sports Minister Madan Mitra, an accused in the multi-billion rupee Saradha chit fund scandal, will be kept in under house arrest till a CBI plea for cancellation of his bail was decided, the Calcutta High Court said on Thursday.
However, Mr Mitra's house arrest would start only after he is released from hospital, where he is currently admitted for a treatment.
Hearing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea, a vacation division bench of justices Joymalya Bagchi and Mir Dara Sheko came up with the observation that Mr Mitra - being a cabinet minister - was capable of influencing witnesses if he remained free.
The judges barred the minister from leaving his house, save for medical emergency or when the CBI needed him in connection with its ongoing investigation into the scam.
CBI counsel K Raghavacharyulu submitted that the Alipore Court had acted in haste to grant bail to the minister.
He argued the CBI was not sent any notice by the sessions court about the bail hearing on October 31, which violated section 439 (1) (b) of the Code of Criminal Procedure that mandates serving of such notice to the public prosecutor. As such, the bail order was illegally passed.
The vacation judges said the matter needed to be heard on merit and so a regular bench, preferably one which had heard Mr Mitra's bail petition in the past, should hear the CBI's plea, once the court reopens on November 16.
Mr Mitra was asked to file an affidavit on the CBI's petition by November 13, while the probe agency would file its counter by November 17 when a regular bench would hear the matter.
Indicted by the agency of cheating, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in the multi-crore-rupee scam, Mitra, was granted bail by a lower court on Saturday, nearly 11 months after his arrest on December 12 last.
Mr Mitra, who was under treatment in the state-run SSKM hospital where he had spent most of his incarceration period, left for home on Sunday after a medical board gave him a fit certificate.
On Tuesday, the CBI moved the Calcutta High Court seeking cancellation of the bail, and around the same time Mr Mitra was admitted to a private hospital in the city.
A five member medical board has been constituted to look after the minister who has been admitted with complaints of chest pain, mild breathlessness and erratic sleep pattern, the hospital said in a statement.
According to jail authorities, Mr Mitra spent less than 50 days in the prison since he was sent to judicial custody on December 19.
However, Mr Mitra's house arrest would start only after he is released from hospital, where he is currently admitted for a treatment.
Hearing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea, a vacation division bench of justices Joymalya Bagchi and Mir Dara Sheko came up with the observation that Mr Mitra - being a cabinet minister - was capable of influencing witnesses if he remained free.
CBI counsel K Raghavacharyulu submitted that the Alipore Court had acted in haste to grant bail to the minister.
Advertisement
The vacation judges said the matter needed to be heard on merit and so a regular bench, preferably one which had heard Mr Mitra's bail petition in the past, should hear the CBI's plea, once the court reopens on November 16.
Advertisement
Indicted by the agency of cheating, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in the multi-crore-rupee scam, Mitra, was granted bail by a lower court on Saturday, nearly 11 months after his arrest on December 12 last.
Advertisement
On Tuesday, the CBI moved the Calcutta High Court seeking cancellation of the bail, and around the same time Mr Mitra was admitted to a private hospital in the city.
Advertisement
According to jail authorities, Mr Mitra spent less than 50 days in the prison since he was sent to judicial custody on December 19.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Assets Worth Rs 35 Crore Attached In Saradha Money Laundering Case 'We Are Bad Men But Not Those Two': Arrested Trinamool MLA Targets BJP Rajeev Kumar Still Untraceable, Special CBI Team Returns To Delhi MK Stalin Asks Centre To Recall Tamil Nadu Governor In Row Over Anthem Delhi Ex Minister Satyendar Jain Leaves Jail, Chief Minister Greets Him Can Hamas Recover After Yahya Sinwar's Killing? What Experts Say Israel And Iran-Backed Foes Hamas And Hezbollah Vow More War Meta Launches AI That Can Monitor Other AI As Human Involvement Diminishes Israel Says Intercepts Suspicious 'Aerial Target' Approaching From Syria Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.