Supreme Court grants bail to Sushanta

OUR BUREAU

Sushanta Ghosh; the CPM leader's wife at the couple's Chandrakona Road home after coming to know about Ghosh's bail. (Picture above by Samir Mondal)

Feb. 3: The Supreme Court today granted interim bail to Sushanta Ghosh, the CPM leader accused in the Keshpur multiple-murder case, after he spent five months in jail.

A senior official of the jail department said Ghosh would be released after the Supreme Court order reaches the department. "We are expecting the order by Monday," he said.

A special bench of the apex court comprising Justices Altamas Kabir and Gyansudha Misra imposed two conditions on Garbeta MLA Ghosh. First, he can't visit any place in West Midnapore other than his constituency. Second, the former western region development minister would have to visit the police station closest to his home on the last Sunday of every month. The Supreme Court indicated that the trial court in Midnapore would impose other conditions.

Ghosh has been in jail since August 11 last year after his arrest by the CID for his alleged complicity in the 2002 murder of Trinamul supporter Ajay Acharya, whose son filed an FIR following discovery of a skeleton suspected to be his from a pit near the CPM leader's ancestral home in Benachapra.

After skulls and bones of five persons were dug out on June 4 last year, Ajay's son Shyamal named Ghosh and 40 other CPM leaders in a police complaint two days later.

It was alleged that seven Trinamul supporters were murdered by CPM cadres in Keshpur on September 22, 2002. The bodies of two of the victims were found the next day in Dakshin Piashole village, about 5km from Benachapra.

In end-July, Calcutta High Court had rejected Ghosh's appeal for anticipatory bail and asked him to approach the Midnapore court. On August 11, the Midnapore court also rejected the CPM leader's bail plea and sent him to CID custody. Fourteen days later, Ghosh was taken to Alipore Central Jail. After the high court rejected another bail appeal by Ghosh in October, he approached the Supreme Court in December.

CPM leader Surjya Kanta Mishra described Ghosh's bail as the "first victory'' of the party in its "struggle against the "vindictive'' Trinamul Congress-led government.

"Ghosh was arrested when the Assembly was in session. It was unprecedented. He was arrested only because the new government wanted to harass him and our party. The Supreme Court ruling has established justice," Mishra, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, told reporters in the Assembly lobby.

He said the verdict would "help motivate our cadres across the state". "They will feel happy. The message that will go to them is that our party will stand by our men when in need.''

Mishra alleged the Trinamul government was framing CPM leaders and workers. "Many of them are absconding after false cases were filed against them. We are fighting all these cases in court and we will emerge victorious.''

Asked if Ghosh's bail would provide the CPM a "much-needed tonic'', Mishra said: "Our party doesn't need tonics. We are not demoralised. We are prepared to stand up to the ruling party's terror.''

When told that Ghosh would not be able to visit Benachapra because of the court conditions, Mishra said: "I haven't seen the court order. But what's the need for him togo there? Rather, he can attend our Brigade rally on February 19,'' Mishra added.

CPM state secretary Biman Bose issued a statement tonight saying the Bengal leadership was "happy with the bail".

At the CPM's recently concluded district conference in West Midnapore, Ghosh was re-inducted into the district committee. "At this hour, our party needs to throw its weight behind him because he is an important leader,'' a CPM leader said.

Trinamul MP Subhendu Adhikari said the party would ask Shyamal to file a petition in the apex court praying for rejection of Ghosh's bail.

Ghosh's wife Karuna said she was happy that her husband could now return and "work for the party". "The new government has already killed 250 of our comrades," she added.