KOLKATA, Sept 9 - The Calcutta High Court today rejected the bail prayers of former Union Minister Matang Sinh and his estranged wife Manoranjana Singh, who are accused in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam.
The orders were passed by a division bench comprising Justices Nishita Mhatre and T Mookherjee.
Sinh had pleaded for bail on medical ground, claiming that he was suffering from a life-threatening disease and that his treatment was not possible in any hospital here.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) doctors who examined Sinh, said in their report that there was at present no life risk to him and that facilities for his treatment were available here.
CBI counsel Ashraf Ali submitted that the accused is a former central minister and was influential.
Letting him out on bail at this juncture could affect the investigation as Sinh might attempt to influence witnesses, he said.
Ali also opposed Manoranjana�s bail saying that there were allegations of embezzlement against her and that the CBI has not been able to properly quiz her as she has been in hospital since her arrest on medical grounds.
After hearing both the parties, the court refused to grant bail to the two accused. � PTI
