AGARTALA, Oct 24 (TIWN): The High Court of Tripura led by Justice Arindam Lodh issued a notice to show cause upon the State Government as to why the plea of bail of Badal Chowdhury should not be allowed and differed the hearing on 30.10.2019. While hearing P Roy Barman and T.D. Majumder, Counsels on behalf of Chowdhury strongly urged for interim bail as he is seriously ill and suffering from cardiac ailments and admitted to the ILS Hospital for which he may not be able to face/attend the custodial interrogation.On the other hand the Advocate General A.K. Bhowmik submits to issue notice upon the State-respondent and also urged to fix the date on 30.10.2019 for production of the case diary. Thereafter the bench issued show-cause notice upon the State-respondent as under “Accordingly, issue notice calling upon the State-respondent to show-cause as to why the bail the application shall not be allowed, as prayed for; and/or why such further and other order(s) shall o be passed as to this Court may deem fir and proper”.

Accordingly, issue notice calling upon the State-respondent to show-cause as to why the bail the application shall not be allowed, as prayed for; and/or why such further and other order(s) shall o be passed as to this Court may deem fir and proper.   

That, earlier ex-PWD Minister, Badal Chowdhury was booked u/s 401, 420, 418, 102 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code and u/s 13 of The Prevention of Corruption Act, along with ex-chief engineer Sunil Bhowmik and the then Principal Secretary Y.P. Sing on alleged fraud on various PWD work contracts.

Though earlier an interim relief was granted to Mr Chowdhury on 14.10.2019 by the Special Judge, West Tripura but finally on 16.10.2019 the Special Judge aka Session Court, West Tripura rejected the plea of the anticipatory bail of the Former PWD Minister Sri Badal Chowdhury. Thereafter, Mr Chowdhury approached the High Court Tripura for pre-arrest bail but as he was alleged to be arrested on 21.10.2019 at about 9.30 PM at ILS Hospital, the Single bench of High court of Tripura, comprised of Justice Lodh dismissed the matter as anfractuous on 22.10.2019.

That on the same day Namita Gope filed a petition for bail u/s 439 on behalf of Mr Chowdhury, which was registered as BA 134 of 2019 and was fixed for hearing today as in continuation of the earlier anticipatory bail which was dismissed as anfractuous on 22.10.2019.   

 Advocate General Arun Kanti Bhowmik and P.P. Ratan Datta appeared for the State-respondent while P. Roy Barman, Advocate and T.D. Majumder, Advocate appeared for Badal Chowdhury.