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Badal Choudhury, former Tripura minister accused of graft gets bail
Choudhury, incumbent MLA, had served as PWD minister for four terms during the erstwhile Left government period.
Tripura’s former Public Works Department (PWD) minister and incumbent Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Badal Choudhury who was accused of corruption case of over Rs 600 crores has been granted bail by the High Court on Saturday 87 days after his arrest.
“Investigation on Badal Choudhury and Sunil Bhowmik has progressed. There is still time on the part of the investigating officer to file the charge sheet before the deadline as three days are left. But the High Court has granted bail to Choudhury with certain conditions,” said public prosecutor Ratan Datta.
He further added, “He needs to submit Rs 1 lakh as bail bond. If he attempts to distort evidence we have the chance to cancel his bail.”
According to law, an accused can be granted bail if police does not file charge sheet against within 90 days of arrest.
A case was lodged against the former minister along with former chief secretary Yashpal Singh and retired PWD chief engineer Sunil Bhowmik on October 13 last year on the charge of corruption, cheating, criminal breach of trust, and for causing disappearance of evidence of offence etc., in connection with construction work which was undertaken back in 2008-09.
Choudhury was arrested on the night of October 21 while he was admitted in an ICU of a private hospital in Agartala.
After he was brought to the police custody he complained of breathing difficulties and was rushed to government-run GBP hospital.
PWD chief engineer Sunil Bhowmik was arrested in the case on October 14 and was kept in police remand. He was granted bail after earlier part of January this year.
Chief Secretary Yashpal Singh is yet to be arrested.
Choudhury, incumbent MLA, had served as PWD minister for four terms during the erstwhile Left government period.
