Top TMC leaders held in Narada case granted interim bail

The bench directed them not to make any comment in public or in media with regard to the matter

The Calcutta High Court on Friday granted interim bail to three top Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and a former leader of the party who were arrested by the CBI in relation to the Narada sting operation case.

The five-judge bench of the High Court directed the four accused, who are currently under house arrest, to furnish bail bonds of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties of the like amount.

The High Court directed the four accused Ministers Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee, MLA Madan Mitra and former TMC leader Sovan Chatterjee not to make any public comments and give interviews to the media regarding the alleged offence about themselves and any other co-accused.

The bench comprised Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justices I P Mukherji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen, Arijit Banerjee.

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"The aforesaid accused persons, if they are not required in any other case, shall be released on bail subject to each one executing a bail bond of Rs. 2 lakh with two securities of the like amount, to the satisfaction of the learned Special Judge, CBI Court, Kolkata," stated the order.

It further stated that the four accused have to make themselves available for interrogation for further investigation by the CBI.

"The aforesaid accused persons shall make themselves available for interrogation in the course of further investigation, if any of the alleged offence, as and when required by the CBI. Considering the lockdown imposed in the State of West Bengal, the interrogation may be carried out by virtual mode,” stated the order.

Appearing for the CBI, Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta objected to granting interim bail to the accused stating that they are influential persons who can tamper with evidence or make public statements regarding the case.

He also stated that the accused can gather a mob whenever they are called for further interrogation or the case is taken up for hearing.

The case will again come up for hearing on May 31.