The CBI “virtually” produced the arrested leaders in the city’s Bankshall Court and demanded, first, their police custody and then their judicial custody. The lawyers for the accused pointed out that the CBI had completed the investigations and had submitted the charge-sheet. After this, there was no need for the CBI to seek their custody – whether police or judicial.
The CBI countered this with the stock argument that those arrested were “influential” people and if released, they could intimidate witnesses and tamper with evidence. The lawyers for the accused pointed out to the court that the accused had been free all these years and the CBI had never complained that they were either intimidating witnesses or tampering with evidence
The court went on to grant bail to the arrested leaders.
The CBI then made a lightning move and approached the Calcutta High Court, which stayed the lower court’s bail order and sent the accused to three days’ judicial custody till Wednesday.
What the TMC and the people of the state in general are angry about is that Firhad Hakim was in charge of the COVID control operations. At a time when the pandemic is spreading fast and more and more people are being infected, his arrest will only severely disrupt the battle against COVID.
It is quite likely that the Modi-Amit Shah duo will continue their ‘jihad’ against the Trinamool government in West Bengal. Both are vindictive and they have a loyal accomplice in Kolkata Raj Bhavan. They seem to be bent on dismissing the elected government headed by Mamata Banerjee by any means and bring the state under their control through President’s Rule.
