The bail cancellation plea of TMC MP Madan Mitra, who is an accused in the Saradha chit fund scam, will be heard on November 17
New Delhi : A Calcutta High Court vacation division bench on Thursday ordered Madan Mitra to be kept under house arrest till November 17. On November 17, a regular division bench will hear the bail cancellation plea.
He is now admitted in hospital and, after his release, he will be under police surveillance at his Bhowanipore residence. He can move out of his house only in case of emergency medical treatment.
Mitra was accused in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam and was granted bail by the Alipore court last Saturday, allegedly amid “haste”. The Alipore court had granted the bail to Mitra as the investigating officer was not present with the case diary in the court. The CBI has been investigating the case following an order of the Supreme Court.
The CBI filed a petition in the high court seeking cancellation of the bail given to Mitra by the Alipore court. The CBI advocate said that Mitra might influence the case and hence his bail should be cancelled. The division bench comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Mir Dara Sheko, in their order, said that Mitra’s movements would be restricted till the hearing of the case on November 17 and he would be under police guard.
The bench also criticised the order given by the sessions judge of Alipore Court and said that the CBI should get time to contest the case.
“The fact is that the sessions judge was in a haste to grant bail to Mitra. This case will be heard by a regular bench on November 17,” the bench observed. In the order, Justice Bagchi and Justice Dara Sheko said that Mitra would have to go back to his residence after being released from the hospital. He will only be allowed to come out of the residence for any medical emergencies or interrogation, they added.
Previously, the Calcutta High Court and Bankshal Court rejected Mitra’s bail petition a number of times. Mitra was arrested by the CBI in December last year. But for most of the intervening period, he was admitted to hospital due to various ailments.
