Calcutta HC orders house arrest for Saradha case accused Madan Mitra

Opposition parties raised questions over the qualification of doctors at the state-run SSKM Hospital, who had declared Mitra fit for discharge on 1 November, 2015, a day after he was granted bail in the Saradha chit fund case.

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.

The vacation bench, taking note of the CBI counsel’s submission that the Alipore Court had granted bail to Mitra in haste, said that the matter required hearing on merit and as such a regular bench, preferably the one which had earlier heard his bail prayer, should hear the CBI’s prayer for cancellation of the minister’s bail.

Mitra is now admitted in a private hospital in Kolkata. He will only come out of the residence for any medical emergencies or interrogation.

The high court is at present in 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. CBI had claimed that Mitra is a powerful and influential person being a cabinet minister and can influence the probe and threaten witnesses. “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”.

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, almost 11 months after his arrest on December 12 last.

Moitra showed the order, which mentioned that the high court had turned down Mitra’s plea on August 6.