CUTTACK: Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy can now walk out of jail with the Orissa High Court on Friday granting him bail in the last case related to the alleged job scam.
The bail was given in a case registered at Golanthara police station in Ganjam district in which the complainant had alleged that he had given Panigrahy Rs 2 lakh for a securing him a job.
A single judge bench of Justice SK Panigrahi granted bail on furnishing cash security of Rs 2 lakh and bail bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties to the satisfaction of the trial court.
The former minister has now been granted bail in all the six cases registered against him in connection with the alleged job scam. The suspended BJD leader has been in judicial custody at Jharpada Jail since December 3 last year.
The CID-Crime Branch had registered a case against Panigrahy, while the five other cases were registered at Golanthara police station (4) and Baidyanathpur police station (1) in Ganjam district on the basis of FIRs lodged by persons who had allegedly given him money on the assurance to provide jobs.
On Thursday, the High Court had granted him bail in a similar case registered at Baidyanathpur police station on furnishing cash security of Rs 6 lakh and bail bond of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties.
On June 1, the court had granted bail in three other cases registered at Golanthara police station on FIRs with identical allegations.
Panigrahy was granted bail in the three cases on furnishing cash security of Rs 6 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh respectively and bail bonds of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties in each of the cases.
On February 24, the High Court had allowed Panigrahy’s release in the case registered by CID-Crime Branch in which the total amount alleged to have been received by him from the duped job aspirants, was to the tune of Rs 47.45 lakh.
He was granted bail in the case on furnishing a cash security of Rs 24 lakh and bail bond of Rs 5 lakh with two sureties.
He was also asked to give an undertaking to deposit an additional amount of Rs 23.45 lakh in five instalments - Rs 5 lakh each by the end of March, April, May, June and the last instalment of Rs 3.45 lakh by the end of July.
Along with cash security and other conditions, the High Court has also set the condition that Panigrahy following his release shall not give any interviews and not make any public comment in connection with the cases against him or other co-accused to print and electronic media.