MP gets bail in constable slapping case

A West Bengal court on Thursday granted bail to footballer-turned Trinamool Congress MP Prasun Banerjee, against whom it had issued an arrest warrant for allegedly slapping a police constable.

Banerjee got the relief from the additional chief judicial magistrate's court in Bidhannagar against a personal bond of Rs.2,000 after he appeared in person before the judge.

Police in January had slapped non-bailable charges against the Lok Sabha member for allegedly slapping a traffic constable, who is said to have stopped the MP's car for illegally making a U-turn at the Lake Town flyover in Bidhannagar.

Failing to secure the former Indian football captain's appearance for questioning, police approached ACJM Apurba Kumar Ghosh who on July 3 issued the warrant and directed police to take him into custody and present him before the court by July 17.

The defence counsel moved moved an application on July 4 with a prayer to the court to recall the arrest warrant.

After the January incident, Banerjee was booked under several offences including assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty which entails a maximum punishment of two years imprisonment.