HC allows regular bail plea of ailing BJD MLA

Ailing BJD MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal was today granted regular bail by the Orissa High Court in a case of his alleged involvement with a chit fund firm which has duped hundreds of investors.

The Cuttack-Choudwar legislator was arrested by the CBI on September 19 last year in connection with his alleged complicities with the chit fund firm which had duped hundreds of its small investors.

Justice Biswanath Rath, while granting bail to the MLA, directed him to deposit Rs 20 lakh in any nationalised bank and submit the receipt of the deposit in the trial court.

Similarly, Biswal has also been asked to furnish bail bonds with two sureties of Rs five lakh each.

The four-time MLA was taken ill soon after his arrest and he was hospitalised. While his condition had deteriorated at SCB Medical College and Hospital here, the High Court on April 24 had granted him a conditional interim bail for two months to facilitate his treatment at a better facility.

While the MLA continues to be under treatment here, the High Court today adjudicating over his regular application allowed his plea, informed his counsel Bigyan Sharma.

The bail has been allowed with the same conditions that were imposed during the grant of interim bail two months ago, Sharma said.