Misappropriation of funds: Usha Mishra takes anticipatory bail

In a bid to avoid arrest in connection with the misappropriation of funds that was allotted to her NGO, CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra's wife Usha Mishra took an anticipatory bail from Bankshall Court on Thursday.

She pleaded for bail before the Additional District and Sessions Judge Kumkum Singha. The bail was granted against a bond of Rs 10,000.

The state's Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) had initiated a probe against her on charges of misappropriation of fund after National Aids Control Organisation's (NACO) fund of Rs 29 lakh was allotted for her NGO, Bhagabati Devi Nari Kalyan Samity, when Surya Kanta Mishra was the state's Health minister.

It may be mentioned that in December, the investigating agency had filed the charge-sheet that contained names of the former Health minister's wife and her associates.

The investigating officer had interrogated her following a complaint alleging misappropriation of fund was lodged against her and Dr Mishra's nephew Sudip Mishra and some senior officials of the NGO. The complaint was lodged on March 9, 2015.

The ACB officers had conducted a raid in the office of the organisation in West Midnapore on March 12, 2015. The entire office was searched during the raid and the officers had seized many documents from there.

The investigating officers had come to know that the purpose with which NACO had allotted the money was not served. Instead of using the money properly to help the beneficiaries, the investigating officers had found the allegations of misappropriation of fund to be true and mentioned Usha Mishra's name in the charge-sheet.