CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday granted bail to Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy in connection with three cases registered against him at Golanthara police station in Ganjam district. Panigrahy, however, will continue to be in jail with two more criminal cases pending against him.
The former minister has been in judicial custody since CID Crime Branch (CB) of Odisha Police arrested him on December 3 last year in connection with an alleged job scam. Hearing the bail pleas on Monday, a vacation bench of the High Court granted him bail in three cases where he is accused of collecting Rs 6 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh from youths on assurance of providing them jobs.
In the first case, the vacation bench of Justice SK Sahoo said investigation into the case is at a concluding stage and there is no chance that the petitioner may abscond besides, he is willing to deposit the amount of Rs 6 lakh. “Also, the fact that the offences are triable by Magistrate and on hearing the learned Advocate General for the State who submitted that prima facie case is made out against the petitioner, I am inclined to release the petitioner on bail”, the bench ruled.
He was granted bail on the condition that he would furnish security of Rs 6 lakh and bail bond of Rs 2 lakh with two local solvent sureties each for the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial court. The vacation Judge passed identical orders for Panigrahy’s release in the two other cases on furnishing cash security of Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh respectively and bail bonds of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties in each of the two cases. Though the HC had on February 24 granted Panigrahy bail in the case registered against him by the CID CB, he has continued to be in judicial custody in connection with other cases.