Trinamool MP Kunal Ghosh's interim bail extended till December 23

The bench directs Ghosh to not leave the jurisdiction of Narkeldanga Police Station in the metropolis except

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The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday extended till December 23 the interim bail given to Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh, an accused in the multi-crore Saradha scam.

A division bench comprising justices Ashim Kumar Roy and M M Banerjee extended bail to Ghosh, who was granted interim bail by this court on October five.

The division bench had granted interim bail till November 11 to Ghosh, suspended by Trinamool Congress for alleged anti-party activities, after more than two years in custody following his arrest by CBI.

Ghosh, who headed the Saradha Group's media business, was released on a bail bond of Rs two lakh, which were to be of two sureties of Rs one lakh each.

The bench had directed that Ghosh would not leave the jurisdiction of Narkeldanga Police Station in the metropolis except for attending court proceedings or meeting the investigating officers.

It had further directed Ghosh to meet the investigating officer once a week and if necessary, CBI shall have liberty to call him to its office for the purpose of investigation.

Ghosh's counsel claimed that he had been in custody for over two years and 10 months counting his total days in custody since his arrest by West Bengal Police in connection with other related cases of Saradha scam.

He has been charged under IPC Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by merchant or agent), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 120B (conspiracy), besides relevant sections of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Act, 1978.

Ghosh, a former editor of a vernacular daily, had become the CEO of Saradha Media, an arm of the Saradha Group owned by Sudipta Sen.

Ghosh was arrested on November 23, 2013 by Bidhannagar Police after the Saradha scam broke out in April that year.

He was suspended by the Trinamool Congress in September, 2013, which had given him the Rajya Sabha ticket, for anti-party activities after he had started making allegations of involvement of some party leaders in the scam.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in April, 2012.