Calcutta High Court grants bail to Birbhum Panchayat leader in NIA case

Kolkata: Granting National Investigation Agency (NIA) the liberty to keep a vigil upon him and monitor his phone calls, Calcutta High Court granted conditional bail to a Birbhum Panchayat leader arrested following recovery of explosives and ammunition from his stone crushing unit’s godown.

The bench of Justice Arijit Banerjee and Justice Apurba Sinha Ray was moved by the appellant praying for bail. In 2022, an SIT of state police intercepted a vehicle and seized 81,000 electronic detonators. The driver was arrested along with other persons. All were granted bails. They were charged under Sections of IPC and Explosives Substances Act.

Later, the NIA took over the probe after registering a new FIR and subsequently submitted chargesheet containing names of two other persons. On June 28, 2023, NIA raided a premises belonging to the appellant Manoj Ghosh, Trinamool leader of Baniyoor Panchayat in Birbhum. The agency claimed it recovered a country-made pistol along with four 7.65 mm ammunitions, one bag of ammonium nitrate, 130 gelatin sticks and other documents, including one diary mentioning various transactions relating to purchase of explosives. Ghosh’s counsel submitted that the connection of his client with gelatin sticks illegally procured from other accused persons involved is not established. Further, the sticks in his godown were used for stone crushing business involving mining activities. NIA opposed the bail, citing he didn’t have any license from Petroleum Explosive Safety Organization to deal in explosives.

The court observed the petitioner is in custody for more than 1 year 6 months. “No other consideration can be higher than his personal liberty and right to speedy justice,” the court said, granting him conditional bail.

“He shall not make any attempt to intimidate, influence or tamper with evidence and shall attend the court on each date of hearing....he shall not carry on any kind of business involving explosives and stone crushing until further order,” court directed.