The Calcutta high court on Thursday rejected the bail plea of former Central minister and Congress leader Matang Sinh, who was arrested in connection with the Saradha Group chit fund scam.
The division Bench of the Chief Justice Nisitha Mhatre rejected the bail plea of Sinh who is behind bars for the past 781 days. Opposing the bail to the former Central minister, CBI counsel K Raghav Charyulu submitted before the court that he had threatened an arbitrator Rajesh Bajaj from inside the correctional home.
He further submitted that Sinh had also submitted before the Supreme Court seeking bail in 2016. His bail plea was also rejected by the Apex Court. The CBI counsel opposed the bail plea submitting that the investigation might get hampered if he is given bail. He also submitted that evidences might get tampered if he comes out of the correctional home. He pleaded before the Court that Sinh should not be given bail till the probe in Saradha Group scam is over.
Sinh's counsel submitted that he had been staying behind bars for the past 781 days. He had not taken any money from Saradha Group chief Sudipta Sen. But he has been kept behind bars without any concrete reason. He submitted that many other people, whose names had cropped up in the scam, had been given bail. Thus, his submission before the court for bail.
The division Bench of Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre rejected the bail plea after hearing the counsels. It may be mentioned that his estranged wife, Manoranjana Sinh, was also arrested for her alleged involvement with the scam. The ED had also attached his properties including his two flats worth Rs 100 crore in Delhi's Lutyens' Zone area.