Drama on Badal continues, police remand at stake
Our Bureau
AGARTALA, November 11, 2019: Drama surrounding Rs 640 crore PWD accused Badal Choudhury continues unabated. He was produced in the court of special judge after end of his judicial remand Monday, but again returned to jail after the court imposed preconditions on police to fulfil before getting his remand.
The conditions range from a separate room with toilet facility for the accused in the police station to availability of a doctor to meeting with family members. The court granted four day police remand subject to compliance of the preconditions.
The Investigation Officer (IO) who submitted prayer for seven days remand of scamster found it difficult to give any assurance on providing ‘star facilities’ on health ground to the accused in the police station.
In that situation the court sent Choudhury to jail with instruction to IO to interrogate him at a special room in jail.
Badal Choudhury, former PWD minister and incumbent Deputy Leader of Opposition, is the prime accused in alleged Rs 640 crore scam of 2008.
The leader had spent almost three weeks in two hospitals to heal his fragile health since his stunning appearance in the hospital after six days of hiding to evade arrest. He was shown arrested on his first day in hospital.
Bail application of Badal Choudhury was earlier twice rejected. He was made prime accused in the case originally started by the Vigilance Department which was later handed over to the Crime Branch.
Another prime accused in the alleged scam, former PWD Chief Engineer Sunil Bhowmik, was arrested and in jail after extension of judicial custody.
Meanwhile Chief Secretary YP Singh, who was the Principal Secretary in charge of PWD in 2008, is also wanted in this case connection, but remained elusive despite police searches in his premises in Delhi and Gurgaon city.