One more held in Deb ‘assault’ case, gets bail

SNS, Siliguri, 9 October: Police today arrested a Congress leader, Rajesh Yadav, for his alleged involvement in a snatching case, while they also sought the court’s permission for a ‘shown arrest’ as he has also been named in an FIR lodged by the North Bengal Development Department (NBDD) for allegedly trying to hinder development work and misbehaving with minister Gautam Deb.

The police requested the ‘shown arrest’ as despite a notice, he failed to appear at the police station in course of the investigations into the alleged manhandling of the minister as he laid the foundation stone for an electric crematorium at Ramghat in the NJP area near Siliguri on 28 September.

The Siliguri Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Court, however, granted interim bail to Mr Yadav.

The NBDD, under which the crematorium is being built, has filed a complaint against Mahanando Mondal, Subhas Roy and Mr Yadav.

The court yesterday granted conditional bail to Mr Mondal after his arrest on 7 October. Mr Mohanto and Mr Roy have also lodged separate complaints against the north Bengal development minister, Mr Deb, for allegedly assaulting them.

"In connection with the Ramghat case, the police had on 29 September served a notice under Section 41 A of the CrPC to Mr Yadav and asked him to appear before the investigation officer the next day, but he did not show up. The court found that he and Mr Mondal are on the same footing and it granted them interim bail on bonds of Rs 1200 each. He must also appear before the investigation officer thrice a week," assistant public prosecutor Sudip Roy Basunia said. Mr Yadav was also granted bail in the previous snatching case.

Mr Yadav, who is the Congress ward 5 committee president, said his arrest proves again that Mr Deb has been flexing his muscles here.

"Police are unnecessarily harassing me. The previous case has already been settled. The muscle flexing of the minister and his party is evident again," he told reporters at the court. Terming the verdict as a moral victory, Congress leaders said they will continue their stir.