West Bengal Transport and Sports Minister Madan Mitra, an accused in the multi-billion rupee chit fund scandal, will be kept in house confinement under police watch till a CBI plea for cancellation of his bail was decided, the Calcutta High Court said on Thursday.
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“The undeniable fact that the periods decide was in a haste to grant bail, this case will probably be heard by a daily bench on November 17, until then he’ll stay underneath house arrest”, stated Bagchi.
However, Mitra was again admitted to a private hospital on November 3 after complaining of chest discomfort, pain and sweating, around the same time the CBI moved the high court that day seeking cancellation of his bail. He will only come out of the residence for any medical emergencies or interrogation. However, the court said that Mr. Mitra can move out of his house only if he needs hospitalisation.
The high court is at present on vacation and will reopen on November 16.
After today’s order, Mitra’s supporters shook hands and smiled, saying they were relieved that his bail had not been cancelled. He claimed that no such notice had been served on the CBI counsel and as such, the order granting bail to Mitra was illegal.
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Justice Bagchi asked the CBI counsel: “Why were you absent during the hearing of the case (on October 31)?” “I told him that the investigating officer would return to Calcutta the same day and requested him to postpone the hearing till the next day, which the judge turned down”. CBI counsel, K Raghava Charyulu, who appeared before the Court, submitted that the agency had served notice to Mitra’s counsel for hearing the matter before the High Court.
