HC defers hearing 'due to unavoidable reasons'

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday adjourned the Narada tape case hearing as the Division Bench did not assemble due to unavoidable circumstances. The Division Bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee, was scheduled to continue the hearing of the recall petition and the CBI's plea to transfer the case out of Bengal at 2 pm on Thursday.

Around 11.30 am on Thursday, the Calcutta High Court official website issued a notification which mentioned that 'due to unavoidable circumstances, the First Division Bench would not assemble' on Thursday.

The notice didn't specify the exact reasons for the adjournment. On Wednesday, the Division Bench first heard the petition seeking recall of the order it passed on May 17 to stay the bail granted to the four heavyweight leaders by the Special CBI Court.

Two Cabinet ministers Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee along with Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee would remain in judicial custody till further orders. Meanwhile, lawyers of the heavyweights on Thursday jointly filed an application to the Registrar General of Calcutta High Court praying to constitute a Division Bench to hear the recalling of the order of stay passed by the bench of acting Chief Justice.

However, the Division Bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee, will hear Narada tape case on Friday.