Calcutta High Court Denies Stay on Prime Accused's Physical Presence in Bengal School Job Case

Kolkata, Dec 10 (NationPress) The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday declined to issue a stay on the physical presence of the prime accused, Sujay Krishna Bhadra, involved in the multi-crore cash-for-school job scandal, at a lower court in Kolkata.

Nonetheless, the division bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Gaurang Kanth instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to enforce the production warrant until December 16, when the high court will revisit the issue.

On that date, the CBI will be required to explain to the court the necessity of taking Bhadra into custody.

This decision was made while considering a petition from Bhadra seeking anticipatory bail, as the CBI had already filed a request with the special court to classify Bhadra as arrested in the school job case.

Currently, Bhadra is receiving medical care at the jail hospital of Presidency Central Correctional Home in Kolkata. He has been in judicial custody since his arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, who are conducting a parallel investigation into the school job case, last year.

A single judge bench led by Justice Suvra Ghosh granted bail to Bhadra on December 6 in the cases filed against him by the ED in connection with the school job scandal. Following this, the CBI has acted swiftly to ensure Bhadra is recognized as arrested, preventing his release from jail.

During the hearing, the division bench, comprising Justice Bagchi and Justice Kanth, also questioned the urgency of Bhadra's anticipatory bail plea, given that he is already in judicial custody. On December 16, Bhadra's medical report will also be submitted for the division bench's evaluation at the Calcutta High Court.