West Bengal Congress spokesperson Kaustav Bagchi who was arrested at 8:30 am on Saturday by Bortala police from his Barrackpore residence has been granted bail after eight hours in Police custody. Bail was granted to him on a security bond of Rs 1000.
There was major drama at the Banshall Court on Saturday, where Bagchi’s supporters had gathered to demand his release. Seeing the commotion, the judge left his chair for almost an hour.
The police sought his custody till March 10. After hearing the arguments of Bagchi’s counsel, the judge granted him bail. Bagchi was represented in the court by senior CPI(M) MP and advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.
A team of 12 police officials from Bortala police station went to Bagchi’s residence at around 3 am and started questioning him. He was arrested at 8:30 am.
All District & Assembly Youth Congress Office Bearers of WB, are hereby requested to organise protests, in their respective districts and assemblies, against the arrest of Congress Leader Shri Kaustav Bagchi today.
-Azahar Mollick,
State President,WBPYC pic.twitter.com/1Fgc8QPvZj— WB Youth Congress (@IYCWestBengal) March 4, 2023
Bagchi allegedly criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her “personal attack” on state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
An FIR was filed against Bagchi at the Burtolla police station after he held a press conference on Friday to counter Banerjee’s remark on Chowdhury following the Sagardighi by-poll result where the Congress registered a win, ending TMC’s 13-year reign.
He was booked under IPC sections 120b, 153, and 354. Bagchi has been booked under several sections of the IPC including 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), and other sections.