GUWAHATI, March 10 - The Gauhati High Court today granted interim bail to retired social welfare department official Kulendra Saikia, who was arrested by the Anti-corruption and Vigilance (ACV) wing of the Assam Police recently along with five other officials who continue to remain in judicial custody.
Saikia was arrested in connection with the ACV Police Station case number 19/2016 registered under sections 468, 420, 409/ 120 B of the IPC read with Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which related to a huge scam that took place in the social welfare department during the Congress regime.
The investigators have already questioned many high-profile persons in connection with the case including three former social welfare department ministers like Akon Bora, Ajanta Neog and Gautam Roy.
Saikia, who was represented by advocate Bijon Kumar Mahajan, was granted interim bail keeping in view his liver ailments.
The accused in the high-profile scam has been released on interim bail of Rs 50,000 with one surety of the like amount to the satisfaction of the Special Judge, Assam, at Guwahati. He has also been directed to deposit his passport before the said court upon his release on bail.
The interim bail was granted by the single bench of Justice Rumi Kumari Phukan citing the 2010 Supreme Court case �Mukesh Kishanpuriya versus the State of West Bengal� as a precedent. The interim bail will continue till April 7.
The State of Assam was represented by additional public prosecutor Tapash Mishra.
