Trinamool Congress leader found dead at a hotel in Bengal’s Mandarmani
A Trinamool Congress leader was found dead at a hotel at the Mandarmani sea resort in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Saturday morning, triggering tension in the area.
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted unconditional bail to Nirapada Sardar, former CPM MLA from Sandeshkhali, the trouble-hit island of North 24-Parganas.
Police arrested Mr Sardar following an FIR lodged by Shibu Hazra, a close associate of Sheikh Shahjahan, a member of the Trinamul Congress-ruled zilla parishad and strongman of the party, who has been absconding for more than 55 days since the incident of physical assaults on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at Akunjipara on 5 January.
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Mr Hazra has already been arrested by police on charges of rape.
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Mr Sardar was granted bail after spending 17 days in jail custody.
According to the FIR, Mr Sardar was allegedly involved in violent protests against police administration and local Trinamul Congress leaders in the restive areas in Sandeshkhali.
He was picked up from his south Calcutta residence and thereafter arrested on 11 February over the FIR at the Sandeshkhali police station, under various IPC sections, that include rioting, theft and conspiracy and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
A Division Bench presided by Justice Debangsu Basak granted bail to Sardar on a petition filed by him.
While granting him immediate bail, Justice Basak also observed that if the arrested CPM leader is not released on Tuesday it will be deemed as ‘contempt of court’.
During the course of hearing the Division Bench observed some lapses in the evidence on the charges under which he had been arrested. The court also directed the Superintendent of Basirhat district police to submit a report to the court on this count on the next date of hearing.
The Bench also observed that it was quite intriguing that the former CPM legislator was arrested just on the basis of a complaint filed by someone against him.
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