Kolkata Court grants anticipatory bail to Mukul

Kolkata: The metropolitan magistrate, 12th Court Kolkata, on Wednesday rejected Mukul Roy's plea to make a statement before the court in connection with the criminal defamation case filed by Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.

The court opined that the accused at the present stage, in the proceedings, could at best only appear and seek bail and nothing else. The next hearing will be held on January 30.

The Complaint Case No. 68540/2017 for defamation against Mukul Roy filed by Abhishek Banerjee, was fixed on Wednesday before the 12th Metropolitan Magistrate after an issuance of summon against the accused under Section 204 CrPC on the last occasion that is, November 28.

Mukul Roy sought for bail and provided a bond of Rs 1,000 to this effect, pursuant to which the court allowed the bail. A civil revision application bearing C.O. No. 4136 of 2017 was filed by Mukul Roy on December 15, 2017 before the Calcutta High Court, challenging the order dated November 21, 2017, passed by the Ld. Civil Judge (Senior Division) at Alipurduar, restraining and prohibiting Mukul Roy from making statements that may reveal or tantamount to reveal any connection of Abhishek Banerjee with Biswa Bangla Marketing Corporation Limited and Jago Bangla Media Private Limited or any other body or organisation with which he does not have any traceable and valid link.

The said revision application was to be moved by the advocate for Mukul Roy on December 20, 2017, as per the letter issued to Abhishek Banerjee's advocate Sanjay Basu.

However, when the aforesaid matter was called up for hearing before Justice Harish Tandon on Wednesday, the advocate appearing for the petitioner, Mukul Roy, did not move the matter, but instead sought for an adjournment of the same, for a week.