The Supreme Court, comprising justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal, considered the submissions of senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing Bhattacharya. Luthra informed the court of the intention to file certain additional documents on record. Despite Bhattacharya not being an accused in the main CBI case, Luthra emphasized the need for additional time to gather and present necessary evidence.
In response, the bench granted the request, scheduling the matter for a hearing after two weeks. Bhattacharya’s arrest by the ED on October 11 last year came after a night-long questioning session. The Palashipara MLA faced allegations of non-cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
The legal proceedings surrounding Bhattacharya’s case have garnered significant attention, particularly due to the nature of the allegations and the involvement of influential figures. The Calcutta High Court had earlier rejected Bhattacharya’s bail application, citing concerns about the gravity of the offense and the ongoing investigation’s critical stage.
Despite efforts to secure bail at the Supreme Court level, previous attempts have been unsuccessful. The apex court upheld the legality of Bhattacharya’s arrest by the ED, underscoring the seriousness of the allegations. Meanwhile, Bhattacharya’s son, Souvik, found relief when the Supreme Court granted him bail in a related money laundering case.
Source: PTI
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