Badal flees police dragnet, search continues
Our Bureau
AGARTALA, October 17, 2019: CPI(M) stalwart, former MP-Minister, 6 time MLA Badal Choudhury and party’s Central Committee Member Badal Choudhury remained at large even after police continued massive search to track him down. The search unleashed after West Tripura District & Sessions Judge rejected his bail application in an order passed around midnight on Wednesday.
Choudhury is a key suspect in Rs 600 crore PWD scam occurred in 2008. The court also rejected bail plea of Sunil Bhowmik, former PWD Chief Engineer who was earlier arrested in same case connection and sent him to police remand for four days.
The rejection of bail plea paved way for arrest of former PWD Minister Choudhury who is also deputy leader of CPI(M) block in state assembly.
Top brass of police including DGP A.K. Shukla led search at different places including CPI(M) party premises in the city.
Badal Choudhury’s lawyers approached High Court to bail out the leader. The matter is likely to be heard on Friday.
Choudhury is one of ten people held accused in Vigilance Department enquiry into alleged Rs 600 crore construction work scam in PWD had taken place in 2008. West Agartala Police Station registered the case under sections 409, 418, 420, 421 and 120(B) of IPC.
Meanwhile CPI(M) leader and party’s former General Secretary Prakash Karat slammed the BJP government in Tripura for what he called ‘witch hunt’ politics. Karat was speaking at a convention in Agartala to mark 100th raising anniversary of Communist Party in India.
He also criticised arrest of Narayan Kar, former Rajya Sabha member, for allegedly over a complaint.
A court released Kar on bail on Rs 30000 surety and directed him to appear before the Investigation Officer every day.