Lawyers call off stir before arrested colleague gets bail

The striking lawyers of the Orissa High Court here today decided to call off their ongoing ceasework forthwith, hours before the Khurda district and sessions court granted bail to an arrested advocate accused of being involved in fradulent activities of a chit fund company.
The High Court lawyers, boycotting courts since Wednesday in protest against the arrest of Devasish Panda by CBI, will be attending courts from Monday, said a resolution passed by the general body of the High Court Bar Association.
According to reports reaching here, the Khurda District and Sessions Court, at Bhubaneswar, granted bail to Panda, a former Additional Government Advocate (AGA), for a bail bond of Rs 50,000 each from two sureties.

Panda was asked to present himself before the Investigating Officer whenever required.
Panda, also a former counsel of Enforcement Directorate (ED), was arrested from Bhubaneswar by CBI on Monday, for his alleged involvement with the fraudulent activities of chit fund company M/S Artha Tatwa Group of Companies.
The CBI Special Court at Bhubaneswar had on Tuesday refused to grant bail to Panda and allowed the prosecution to take him on remand for three days for custodial interrogation.
Panda was produced before the special court on the day after the end of his remand period.