Tripura: Court Directs Police to Make 'Special Arrangements' for Former Minister Badal Choudhury

Agartala, November 11, 2019:

A Tripura Court has directed the police to manage "special arrangement" for former PWD Minister Badal Choudhury, prime suspect in a Rs 600 Cr PWD scam case.

On Monday, former PWD minister Badal Choudhury was again produced in front of Court and the government lawyer, Ratan Datta, appealed for four days' police remand.

The Judge Sabyasachi Datta Purokayastho of West Tripura district special court has accepted the government lawyer's plea, but also included some clause.

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The judge sent him for four days' police remand. At the same time, the judge ordered the investigative officer Ajay Kumar Das that Badal Choudhury should be given 'special status' and should not be sent to police lockup.

The Court has also directed the police to arrange separate rooms with all basic amenities like cot, bed, drinking water, attached bathroom and toilet, round the clock presence of doctor, and facilities for close relatives to meet him during remand.

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The judge also said that if police can manage those for Badal Choudhury, then he can be sent to police remand.

Purushottom Roy Barman said that they don’t have any objection on police remand, but the appealed to the court not to send him police lockup and the court granted their plea.

Sabyasachi Datta Purokayastho directed the police to inform the Court as early as possible whether the mandated arrangements could be made and then the order would be passed.

In view of Badal Chowdhury's visibly poor health condition, the district and session's judge passed an interim order sending him back to jail custody till 22nd November.

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An FIR was lodged against Badal Choudhury on October 13 over a PWD scam. Police started the hunt for him across the state and on 14 October, Choudhury received interim bail, but on 16 October, Badal Choudhury’s bail plea was rejected in the District Court. In the last 6 days, police were deployed on day-night duties in search of Badal Choudhury.

It may be mentioned here that nine Govt officials, including police top layer officers, were suspended due to their failure to arrest Badal Choudhury.

After an FIR was lodged against Badal Choudhury, he was absconding and his bail plea was also rejected by the district court and Tripura High Court.

On 21 October, he admitted to a private hospital with different sufferings. On 30 October police tried to produce in front of Court but his health condition was detorate again and he sent to GB hospital.

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