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Former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee has been granted bail by the Supreme Court in a money laundering case related to the cash-for-job scam, pending charges to be framed against the suspended Trinamool leader. A bench by Justice Surya Kant said Mr Chatterjee should be released on February 1 or immediately after charges are framed and witness statements are recorded.
The Enforcement Directorate had filed the chargesheet in the case, but the charges are yet to be framed.
The court has asked the trial court to record the statements of the main witnesses and frame the charges soon. "We direct the trial court to decide on framing of charges before the winter vacation begins or before 31.12.2024," the court said.
The relief followed an argument by senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgai that the senior leader has been in jail for over two years he should now get bail.
He was refused bail earlier in April by the Calcutta High Court.