Bengal Trinamool legislator arrested for campus violence gets bail

A West Bengal court on Tuesday granted bail to Trinamool Congress MLA Dipak Haldar who was on Monday arrested for his alleged involvement in campus violence.

Haldar, who represents Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district, was arrested following orders by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after video grabs broadcast by TV channels showed him threatening policemen during a clash between rival factions of party's students' wing at Fakir Chand College in Diamond Harbour.

Booked under bailable charges, including offences against public tranquility, Haldar was presented before a court in Diamond Harbour which granted him bail.

"All the charges pressed against Haldar were bailable and the court granted him bail," said Haldar's counsel.

While state's Education Minister Partha Chatterjee had strongly condemned the incident which left at least 15 Trinamool Chhatra Parishad activists injured, Haldar claimed he was a victim of conspiracy by his own partymen.

"I am a victim of a conspiracy by my own party leaders. People are trying to malign my image before the party top leadership so that I am not given a ticket for contesting the 2016 assembly polls," Haldar said after he was granted bail.

Meanwhile, the opposition targeted the Banerjee government calling Haldar's arrest a "gimmick".

"It was obvious that police would never press serious charges and that he would get bail... Haldar's arrest is a political gimmick," Communist Party of India-Marxist MP Mohammad Salim said.

Lone BJP MLA from the state, Samik Bhattacharya too spoke in the same vein.

"Considering the total anarchy that is prevailing across the state especially in education institutions, it was surprising to see the police actually arresting Haldar. The entire thing is staged managed with an eye on the next polls," said Bhattacharya.