CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday declined pre-arrest bail to former Jharsuguda MLA and BJD leader Dipali Das in a case registered against her for allegedly disrupting transportation of coal by central PSU NLC India Ltd at Talabira on September 21.
The court, however, directed the trial court to release her on bail after she surrenders.
The single judge bench of Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra said, “Considering the nature of allegation, gravity of offence and the facts and circumstances of the case, I am not inclined to grant pre-arrest bail to the petitioner.
However, it is directed that in the event, the petitioner surrenders before the trial court over the matter within a period of three weeks from today and moves an application for bail, the court in seisin over the matter shall release her on bail in connection with the aforesaid case on such terms and conditions as it may deem just and proper.”
The case was registered against Dipali, the daughter of former BJD minister Naba Kishore Das who was assassinated by a policeman last year, for allegedly blocking the movement of NLC India Limited’s coal-transporting vehicles at Talabira on September 21.
Dipali’s counsel Tukuna Kumar Mishra contended that the former MLA has been falsely implicated in the case by the local police. She was agitating against the illegal conduct of the company as well as the district administration. Although land of some local persons was acquired by the company, they have not been paid appropriate compensation.
The petitioner counsel also submitted that she along with others was agitating peacefully in front of the office gate without any intention to cause any harm to the company or its property.
State counsel MK Mohanty, however, objected to the release of Dipali on pre-arrest bail on the ground that the allegations made in the FIR were grave and serious in nature. He also contended that the petitioner caused huge loss to the company by preventing it from functioning normally.
The petitioner instigated the local people, who had gathered there, which created a law and order issue in the locality, Mohanty further submitted.