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Calcutta High Court on Friday, while referring the case concerning bail to TMC Leaders accused in Narada scam to a larger bench, ordered house arrest of Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, TMC MLA Madan Mitra & former Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee.

Coudt referred the entire matter to a larger bench, in addition to modifying orders of May 17, to the extent that MLAs admitted in hospital will now be put under house arrest instead of custody in Jail.

A Division Bench of Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee, in its order today, observed, “while modifying the earlier order dated May 17, 2021, we direct that considering the age and health issues of the accused, three of whom are said to be admitted in hospital, instead of custody in jail, all the accused persons can be put under house arrest in their own homes. This court finds that the guidance in this regard given by Hon’ble the Supreme Court in Criminal Appeal No. 510 of 2021, decided on May 12, 2021 in case titled as Gautam Navlakha vs. National Investigation Agency, are fully applicable in these cases.”

Learned SGI, Mr Mehta, prayed for stay of order passed today for one week to enable the CBI to avail appropriate remedy.

Court while denying the same said, “We do not find any reason to stay the operation of the order as the accused persons still remain in judicial custody though only the manner has changed.”

It was further added by the bench that complete record of any person visiting the house of the accused shall be maintained along with its duration and the purpose.

“The jail authorities shall install, if not already there, CCTV cameras at the entry point of the houses in which the accused persons will remain and the recording thereof shall be kept for record to ascertain the persons who visit the accused”, order read.

The order comes in light of the CBI moving the High Court, challenging the grant of interim bail by the CBI court stating that their probe was getting impacted.

On May 18, division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajnish Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee passed the stay order after CBI filed an application stating that the probe had been meddled with in light of the dharna staged by CM Mamata Banerjee.