SC dismisses CBI plea against bail granted to ex-BJD MLA in Seashore chit fund case

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the bail granted to former Biju Janata Dal MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal in connection with the case of Seashore chit fund scam.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose dismissed a CBI plea seeking cancellation of his bail granted by the Orissa High Court last year.

"It's over one year since the bail was granted by the high court. The high court had already imposed stringent condition on him. He has been asked not to leave Cuttack and cooperate with the investigation," the bench said.

Senior advocate Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for CBI, said that he was a very influential person and could tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses.

The bench, however, did not agree with the contention and refused to interfere with the bail order of the high court.

Biswal was arrested by CBI from his residence on September 19, 2017 from his Cuttack residence for his alleged links with the Seashore Group of Companies which is accused of duping investors of Rs 1,000 crore.