India: BJP leader gets bail in drug seizure case

Kolkata, Nov 24 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted bail to BJP leader Rakesh Singh, who was arrested by the city police in connection with a drug-related case.

A division bench comprising justices Arijit Banerjee and B Pattanayak asked Singh to furnish a bail bond of Rs two lakh -- four sureties of Rs 50,000 each.

The Kolkata Police had on February 23 arrested Singh, who is also a leader of many workers' unions in the city's port area, in connection with his alleged involvement in a drug recovery case.

BJP state youth leader Pamela Goswami, who was earlier held following alleged seizure of contraband from her car, had claimed that it was a conspiracy hatched by Singh.

He was apprehended from a vehicle while travelling on the Kolkata-Delhi national highway at Galsi in Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal.

Praying for bail, Singh's counsel Rajdeep Majumdar submitted before the court that there was no drug recovered from the possession of the accused.

He also submitted that the prosecution has not been able to provide any proof of conspiracy.

The prosecution lawyers opposed the bail prayer of Singh, claiming that he harboured criminals to plant the contraband and implicate innocent persons.

Hearing both the parties, the court granted bail to Singh.