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News Desk: The Calcutta High Court announced that the bench of Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee will not assemble on Thursday. As the same division bench was hearing TMC’s plea seeking recall of its order staying the bail granted to the accused in the Narada case, this implies that the matter will not be heard today at 2 pm as scheduled. Thus, West Bengal Ministers Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and ex-legislator Sovan Chatterjee will continue to be in judicial custody.
Without disclosing the reason, the HC stated, “Due to unavoidable circumstances, the first Division bench would not assemble today”. While Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee were represented by Congress leader and noted senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, senior counsel Sidharth Luthra appeared for Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee. Pressing for the release of his clients on Wednesday, Singhvi argued that no court in the country can deliver an order cancelling bail without issuing notice to the accused and hearing him.
On the other hand, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stressed that there was an “orchestrated attempt” to see that justice was not done. Narrating the sequence of events including WB CM Mamata Banerjee’s dharna and the presence of Law Minister Moloy Ghatak in the special CBI court, he opined that the country has never witnessed such hooliganism until now. He added, “The question of bail is not about them cooperating or not cooperating. It is about them being able to influence witnesses and trial”.
