Our Bureau
AGARTALA, November 12, 2019: The Crime Branch Tuesday finally got custody of Rs 640 crore PWD accused Badal Choudhury after fulfilling conditions set by the court of Special Judge.
The conditions ordered included a separate room with toilet facility for the accused in the police station and availability of a doctor as well as permission for meeting with family members. The court Monday granted four day police remand of Choudhury pending compliance of the preconditions.
He was immediately sent to jail with instruction to Investigation Officer to interrogate him at a special room in jail, but can get his custody fulfilment of preconditions.
The Crime Branch Tuesday informed court that the accused would be accommodated at New Capital Complex Police Station, just adjacent of the state secretariat in Agartala. In evening he was escorted to the police station amid strict security.
Sources said a separate room with toilet facility has been arranged on first floor of the police station.
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.