HC grants bail to Bengal BJP leader Jayprakash Majumdar in cheating case

Court also directed him to pay two sureties of Rs 10,000 each

The Calcutta High Court on Friday granted bail to senior West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jayprakash Majumdar, who was arrested on cheating charges.

Justice Joymalyo Bagchi, while granting bail, directed Majumdar to pay two sureties of Rs 10,000 each, one of which would be local, as bail bond.

Justice Bagchi also directed him to meet the investigating officer twice a week till further orders.

The court noted that complainant Pradyut Halder had alleged that Majumdar had not filed a case before the Supreme Court after having taken large sums of money from him and others for the purpose with regard to non-appointment of candidates who cleared the Teachers' Eligibility Test (TET) in West Bengal.

But records show that the petition had indeed been moved before the apex court and following its directions, a petition had been filed before the Calcutta High Court, in both of which the complainant himself is one of the petitioners, Justice Bagchi noted while granting bail to Majumdar.

Counsel Bhaskar Sen and Phiroze Edulji claimed Majumdar was framed on false charges for extraneous reasons.

Majumdar was arrested on January 14 on charges of criminal conspiracy, fraud and cheating.

Based on a complaint dated August 28, 2016, wherein Majumdar was accused of cheating the complainant and others of Rs 7 lakh, the BJP leader was arrested by the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate.

Majumdar has been in judicial remand following three days in police custody since his arrest.