After 4 months in jail, TMC MP gets bail

After 136 days of arrest, Lok Sabha MP and leader of Trinamool Congress parliamentary party Sudip Bandyopadhyay was granted bail by the Odisha High Court. He was arrested by the CBI for his alleged involvement in the Rose Valley scam.

The conditional bail to the 65-year-old, who was arrested on January 3, was granted against a personal bond of Rs 25 lakh. Bandyopadhyay has also been asked to submit his passport to the investigating officer.

The TMC MP's wife and party MLA Nayna Bandopadhyay's first reaction was, "I am personally very happy, but his health has deteriorated. I will be there to bring him back."

His arrest had triggered sharp reaction from the party, with TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leading the protest. She maintained that the arrest was a part of a political vendetta because Sudip was vocal about demonetisation in Parliament.

The CBI lawyer opposed the bail plea, on Friday, saying that Sudip was an influential leader who could influence witnesses. The court, however, granted bail on health grounds.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, who is also a lawyer, said the decision showed the CBI had no solid ground to oppose the bail plea.