Kolkata, Sep 2 The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to a CPI(M) leader who was arrested for allegedly instigating a mob to lynch a man following the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in South 24 Parganas district in July.
It has been alleged that Lahek Ali had instigated the demonstrators who had lynched a man and vandalised police vehicles, torched tyres and blocked roads, disrupting normal life in the area after the minor's body was recovered from a pond. He was arrested on July 12.
Ali, however, has maintained that he was innocent and the action against him was politically motivated.
On Wednesday, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh granted Ali interim bail till September 10 on a Rs 20,000 bail, with two sureties of Rs 10,000 each.
The court directed Ali not to leave the Baruipur police district jurisdiction and to appear before the inspector-in-charge of the Baruipur police station as and when called for.
Senior advocate Bikash Bhattacharya, representing Ali, told the court that the petitioner's mother was on ventilation support.
The court also took note of the state's submission seeking time for providing the pendrive which incorporates the allegedly provocative and inciting speech of Ali, and directed it to produce the same.
Justice Ghosh said the matter will be heard again on September 9.
Ali was the CPI(M) candidate from Baruipur Paschim constituency for the 2021 and 2026 assembly elections.
