Saradha: West Bengal Minister Madan Mitra granted bail, TMC welcomes judgment

Madan Mitra's lawyers plead for their client's bail on Saturday before the Alipore court and after a very short hearing period, judge Debasish Sarthi Das granted his conditional bail on a personal bond of 2 lakh rupees and local security bond of 1 lakh rupees.

The court gave few conditions to Madan Mitra including, he can not leave West Bengal without permission, has to surrender his passport to the court and has to be ready to cooperate with the CBI in the investigation in future.

The CBI could not provide case diary on Saturday and the investigation officer (IO) was absent here during the hearing.

However, the central probe agencyremained unsatisfied with the judgement.

"We have told before the court many times that Madan Mitra is a very influential person and he could hamper the investigation process if granted bail. Our IO couldn't present himself today before the court as he is not in Kolkata. Without him, we could not produce the case dairy. The court should give us time. We will appeal against the judgement in the Calcutta High Court on Monday," one CBI lawyer told IBNS.

Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) welcomed the judgement.

WB Education Minister and TMC's secretary general Partha Chatterjee told IBNS: "This is the victory of truth. Madan Mitra was held in jail without committing any crime. This is a very good judgement, we are happy and welcoming it."

Meanwhile, the opposition party leaders condemned off the court's decision and the probe agency's form.

Congress leader Abdul Mannan told IBNS: "This is very unexpected and sad incident. This judgement has gone against the poor investors who were cheated by Saradha. Madan Mitra, whose involvement in Saradha scam is clear, should not be granted bail."

CPI-M leader and lawyer Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya told IBNS, "CBI is playing a very inactive role in this probe now a days. It may happen for a silent-alliance between TMC and BJP in a national level. The court's form was not good today too. CBI should be given more time."

Denying all allegations, BJP leader Ritesh Tiwary told IBNS: "There is no such allegation between us. We don't have any connection with a party, which has direct involvement in corruption. Madan Mitra's bail should not be granted."

After a marathon questioning session, the CBI arrested Madan Mitra on Dec 12 last year in connection with the Saradha scam.

He was being held in jail for last 324 days and spent maximum days in state's only government owned super-speciality hospital- SSKM, reports said.

However, Madan Mitra is currently being treated in SSKM hospital and after hearing the news of his bail, a huge number of Madan-followers celebrated in the SSKM hospital compound on Saturday evening.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)