SC to examine on Jan 12 pre-arrest bail plea by Union Minister Nisith Pramanik

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to consider on Friday, a plea of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik for anticipatory bail in an attempt-to-murder case lodged in 2018

A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal sought response from the West Bengal government and asked senior advocate P S Patwalia, representing Pramanik, to serve the copy of the petition on the state's counsel.

Pramanik’s counsel contended before the court that his client is a member of Parliament and the high court declined to grant him protection from arrest.

The counsel submitted that earlier he was with the Trinamool Congress and now he is with the BJP, and stressed that he may be arrested in the case.

The counsel asked the court to grant him protection.

The bench asked when his plea is still pending before the high court and why he can’t move over there.

To this, the counsel said the high court will examine the matter on January 22, and in the meanwhile, there is an apprehension that police may arrest Pramanik.

After hearing submissions, the court fixed the matter for hearing on January 12.

Pramanik has filed his plea, challenging the January 4 order of the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court by which it had refused to grant him anticipatory bail in the case.

An attempt-to-murder case was registered against Pramanik with Dinhata police station of Cooch Behar district of West Bengal in 2018, when a group of people had opened fire on Trinamool Congress workers.

A person was allegedly shot at and injured in the firing.