The Tripura High Court on Thursday rejected former PWD minister Badal Choudhury’s bail plea.
The bench of Justice Arindam Loadh heard the bail plea of Choudhury on Wednesday but reserved the judgment.
Justice Arindam Loadh pronounced the order at 4 pm on Thursday and rejected the bail plea.
Talking to reporters, Haribal Debnath, the lawyer of Badal Choudhury, said, “We have not got the full verdict. We will decide what to do only when we get the full order.”
On the other hand, Tripura’s advocate general Arun Kanti Bhowmik told reporters, “We are hopeful that Badal Choudhury will cooperate with the investigating officers.”
Also read: Tripura: Vigilance sleuths quiz former PWD minister Badal Choudhury
“And if he is not found guilty, he will be released,” the advocate general said.
Bhowmik also said, “Question has been raised against whatever Badal Choudhury has been doing since October 13.”
On Wednesday, police brought Badal Choudhury to West Agartala police station from a private hospital and planned to forward him to the court.
But he was again sent to the hospital due to his poor health.
Now he is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of GB Hospital at Agartala.
It may be mentioned that an FIR was lodged against Choudhury on October 13 night over PWD scam during his tenure.
Choudhury served as the PWD minister during the regime of Left Front government from 2013-18.
Police started hunt for him across the state.
In the meantime, Choudhury got interim bail on October 14, but on October 16, his bail plea was rejected in the district court.
Nine government officials including top-level police officers were suspended due to failure to arrest Badal Choudhury.
Finally, he was arrested on October 21 from a private hospital in Agartala where he was admitted.
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