Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted bail to TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya, who was arrested by the ED in connection with the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal.
Justice Suvra Ghosh granted bail to Bhattacharya on the condition that he has to submit his passport to a lower court, and he cannot leave station without permission of the investigating officer.
In the order, Justice Ghosh said that Bhattacharya shall not indulge in any criminal activity and also not communicate with or come in contact with the witnesses and appear before the trial court on every date of the hearing. Bhattacharya will also be required to provide his mobile number before the trial court and cannot change it without permission.
In the event of Bhattacharya violating any of the bail conditions, the trial court will be at liberty to cancel his bail, the order said. According to the order, the trial court shall deal with the matter independently in accordance with law. Bhattacharya will also be required to furnish a bond of Rs 10 lakh with two sureties of a similar amount.
Justice Ghosh said that in view of the right to speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution as well as prolonged incarceration, the court is inclined to release Bhattacharya on bail subject to stringent conditions. Bhattacharya, the Trinamool Congress MLA from Palashipara in Nadia district, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in 2022 over irregularities in teacher recruitment in the state.
He has also served as chairman of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education. The CBI is concurrently probing the teacher recruitment scam.
