Narada case: Calcutta High Court refuses CBI prayer to adjourn matter

The Calcutta High Court’s newly formed five-member ‘larger’ bench on Monday dismissed the CBI’s plea seeking adjournment of the petition to vacate the stay on bail of four TMC leaders, including Bengal ministers Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee, MLA Madan Mitra, and former Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, in connection with the Narada sting case.

The CBI wanted the Calcutta High Court hearing to be cancelled. However, the bench held its hearing as scheduled and the date of the next hearing has been fixed for Wednesday as acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal will be on leave on Tuesday. The court observed that the virtual hearing may be impacted by the imminent Cyclone Yaas and thus it wanted to continue with the hearing on Monday.

Plea Against House Arrest

The CBI, on Monday morning, also moved the Supreme Court to challenge the Calcutta High Court order allowing Firhad Hakim and Sovan Chatterjee to be under house arrest. The other two leaders –– Subrata Mukherjee and Madan Mitra –– are still under treatment at SSKM Hospital.

In its appeal before the Supreme Court, the CBI argued that leniency should not be shown to the accused as the four TMC leaders are highly influential people and are likely to influence witnesses and interfere in the administration of justice during the trial.

The appeal stated that courts ought to be strict while awarding bail in economic offences. Challenging the Calcutta High Court order and seeking judicial custody of the four leaders, the agency has argued that keeping the four under house arrest will not serve any purpose. The CBI has said that the accused tried to terrorise the lower judiciary.

A CBI special court had granted bail to the four last Monday, which was later stayed by the Calcutta High Court. On Friday, a five-member bench was constituted which comprised acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, and Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Arijit Banerjee, to hear the interim bail plea.

The matter was referred to the five-judge bench on Friday after a difference of opinion between Justice Arijit Banerjee and acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal over granting interim bail for the four politicians.

Hakim, being the chairperson of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and a key person in the fight against Covid in Kolkata, has been allowed to work from home.