TMC ministers, MLA, former mayor under house arrest

Kolkata:  The Calcutta High Court ordered the house arrest of TMC ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and form...

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court ordered the house arrest of TMC ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and former Mayor Sovon Chatterjee on Friday afternoon. The four political leaders had been arrested earlier this week in the Narada sting operation case.

They will stay under house arrest following the order of Calcutta High Court’s Division Bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee. 

The bail plea of the four was heard by a new bench of Calcutta High Court in the afternoon after a difference of opinion between acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee on interim bail.

The Calcutta High Court's Division Bench resumed hearing on Friday on the appeal to vacate the stay on the bail plea of the four leaders at around 11.30 am.

While the acting Chief Justice opposed the interim bail, opining that they remain under house arrest, Banerjee was of the opinion of granting interim bail to them. A new bench was thus formed.

Bindal said that during the house arrest the four leaders will have to cooperate with the CBI while the CBI will facilitate them with all the medical help they need.

Dr. Abhisekh Manu Singhvi opposed the house arrest and said being a chairperson of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Firhad Hakim is actively associated with the Covid-19 pandemic-related work.

“Kalyan Bandopadhyay has prayed for a speedy hearing as this is an important case. He urged the court to expedite the formation of a larger bench. The hearing should be done on Saturday and Sunday also. The case will go to a larger bench due to difference of opinion,” said Subrata Mukherjee’s lawyer Mani Shankar Chatterjee.

The four leaders were in judicial custody from Monday in connection with the Narada sting operation case with Calcutta High Court.