Cuttack: Orissa High Court on Friday rejected the bail petition of BJD's Choudwar-Cuttack MLA Pravat Biswal, whom the CBI arrested on September 19 for his alleged links with Seashore Group, a major player in the deposit collection scam here.
The court, however, directed the CBI to complete investigation and file charge sheet in the case within two months.
The CBI had arrested the MLA while probing into a deal between his wife Laxmi Bilasini Biswal and Seashore Group chairman-cum-managing director Prashant Dash over a plot in Jajpur.
Dash had paid Rs 25 lakh for the land by cheque in two instalments to Laxmi Bilasini in April 2012. But, he had apparently later walked out of the deal and wanted his money back. Laxmi Bilasini claimed that the money was returned in cash to Dash and the matter was recorded in court paper.
The CBI strongly opposed the bail application in the high court on the ground that investigation into the money trail link was in an advanced stage.
The single-judge bench of Justice Biswanath Rath expressed disinclination to grant bail at this stage as it related to an economic offence, and considering the bail application, was not possible without going into the details. More so, the matter was still under investigation.
While directing the CBI to complete investigation and file charge sheet within two months, Justice Rath further gave Biswal to file bail application after it in the lower court.
Justice Rath also directed the lower court to consider the bail application taking into consideration the charge sheet without being influenced by the high court order.
Biswal moved the high court on October 3 after his bail pleas were rejected both by the special CBI court and the district and sessions judge, Khurda.
The BJD MLA is undergoing treatment at the coronary ICU of SCB.
After being sent to Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar, Biswal on court orders was shifted to Capital Hospital when he complained of nausea and other health problems. Later when his condition was found deteriorating, he was shifted to SCB on September 25.
