Calcutta HC Grants Interim Bail to 3 Jharkhand MLAs for 3 Months

The MLAs were expelled by Congress which claimed that there was an attempt by the BJP to topple the Jharkhand govt.

Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachhap, and Naman Bixal – these are the names that have caused turmoil in the Congress and sparked speculation of a possible 'operation lotus' in Jharkhand.

(Photo: Altered by Chetan Bhakuni/The Quint)

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, 17 August, granted interim bail for three months, till November, to the three Jharkhand MLAs who were arrested by West Bengal Police on 30 July with Rs 49 lakh cash and have been in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) ever since.

The MLAs – Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachhap, and Naman Bixal – were expelled by the Congress, which had claimed that there was an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to topple the government in Jharkhand.

The Congress party is a part of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government in Jharkhand.

Conditions Laid by the HC

Meanwhile, the MLAs have been told to visit the investigation officer every week and deposit their passports.

Further, the high court has directed the MLAs to not leave Kolkata and also provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh each.

The CID of West Bengal Police will continue the investigation.

Congress MLA's Complaint

Following their arrest, a zero FIR was filed against the three suspended MLAs in Jharkhand's Ranchi based on Congress MLA Kumar Jaimangal's complaint alleging that he was offered money by the trio to topple the government.

In the complaint, Jaimangal claimed that he didn't want to participate in this "unconstitutional, illegal and downright criminal" activity, and hence, he had filed the complaint.

He further requested that action be taken against those trying to topple the Jharkhand government and that this criminal activity be stopped.

Last week, the CID had seized more cash from Jamtara in Jharkhand in connection with the ongoing probe.

The CID teams had also visited Delhi and Guwahati in connection with the investigation; however, its officials allegedly faced obstructions in conducting the probe at both places.

They had also found links with businessmen from Kolkata and Guwahati who had allegedly provided the cash to the Jharkhand MLAs.

The MLAs, however, have claimed that the money was meant for buying sarees for an Adivasi festival in Jharkhand.