Bengal school job case: CBI refrains from seeking extension of custody for Sujay Bhadra

Kolkata, Dec 21 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday refrained from seeking an extension of custody for West Bengal's multi-crore cash-for-school-job case prime accused Sujay Krishna Bhadra.

The CBI took custody of Trinamool Congress leader Bhadra on Wednesday morning and the term expired on Saturday following which he was presented at a special court in Kolkata.

However, to the surprise of many, the CBI counsel did not seek the extension of his custody and sought that he be taken into judicial custody.

The CBI counsel informed the court that since being taken into custody, Bhadra had been refusing to consume food and even medicines prescribed for him. As a result of this, he developed certain medical complications, the central agency counsel informed the court.

The counsel of Bhadra moved the bail petition on behalf of his client and also argued on those lines.

However, the CBI counsel opposed the bail plea, claiming that if released on bail, he might try to influence important witnesses in the case.

The special court subsequently turned down the bail plea and instead sent Bhadra to judicial custody.

At the same time, the CBI also informed the court that during the last three days of custody, Bhadra refused to cooperate with the investigating officers and answer their queries on the school job case.

Bhadra is supposed to be presented at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata on Monday when the charge framing in the Enforcement Directorate (ED)-registered case in the same matter is supposed to happen. He is one of 54 named as accused in the charge sheet filed by the ED in the matter and the other important name in that list is the former West Bengal Education Minister and Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee.

Source: IANS