Sonika death case: Court grants conditional bail to actor Bikram

Alipore Sessions Court on Wednesday granted conditional bail to actor Bikram Chatterjee.

The conditions set are that Bikram will have to keep his passport with the Alipore Chief Judicial Magistrate's court, he won't be able to move out of a certain area without the permission of Tollygunge police staion's Officer in-Charge and has to be present in all the hearings.

Bikram has got bail after 19 days of his arrest in connection with the death of celebrated model Sonika Chauhan. She was killed in a car accident that was being driven by the Bikram.

On Wednesday, the state counsel pleaded before the court objecting the bail plea by the defence lawyer.

The state counsel submitted that Bikram had attempted to distract the investigating officer. He had also taken alcohol while driving as a liquor bottle was found inside his car.

The counsel further submitted that being an actor, he is an "influential person" and it might affect the progress of the investigation. He prayed for custodial trial of Bikram.

Bikram's counsel submitted before the court that a bottle containing water was found in the car and the matter about his medical report has not been mentioned in the charge-sheet.

Hearing to the submissions of both the state and defense counsels, the court granted conditional bail to Bikram.

Soon after the incident, the police had initiated a case against him on charges of causing death due to negligence under Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and rash driving (279 IPC). On May 30, the police had amended the sections and booked him on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 IPC and under section 427 IPC for damaging property. He was also booked on certain sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Bikram was arrested on July 7 that is after 70 days of the incident in which Sonika was killed from outside Acropolis Mall on Rashbehari Avenue Connector.

He was in police custody for the initial four days after his arrest and he was then sent to judicial custody till July 24. On July 24, his judicial custody was extended for four more days. His counsel had not pleaded for bail on July 24 as they had already moved court pleading for bail and the hearing in this connection was held on Wednesday.

Bikram will be released from Presidency Correctional Home on Thursday after completion of certain legal procedures.