(Top) Gaffar Mollah and Biplab Biswas. Picture by Pranab Biswas

The high court on Wednesday granted bail to Gaffar Mollah, one of the accused in the Vedic Village incident, and Biplab Biswas, an employee of the resort, in the cases of forgery and illegal possession of arms.

The duo were arrested in connection with the arson at Vedic Village and killing of 19-year-old Amirul Sardar on August 22.

The two would not be released as the hearing of their bail petitions on the charge of murdering Amirul is yet to be heard by the high court.

“Petitions by Gaffar and Biswas will be heard in the high court on December 10,” said advocate Jaymalya Bagchi, who appeared for the petitioners.

Raj Kishore Modi, one of the owners of Vedic Village and an accused in the case, was released on bail by the high court .

According to cases lodged with Rajarhat police station by residents, Modi and others, with the help of Biswas and “land sharks” like Gaffar, used to grab plots in the area.

“They used to forcibly evict poor people from their land and threaten villagers,” said public prosecutor Ashimesh Goswami, opposing the bail plea.

“The FIR lodged by Amirul’s brother Manirul with Rajarhat police station on August 23 states that both Gaffar and Biswas were involved in the teenager’s murder,” Goswami said.

Moving the bail petitions, Bagchi claimed that investigators were yet to gather evidence against the two in the four months that have passed since the incident.

The lawyer assured the court that his clients would not leave the country if they were granted bail.