SC agrees to hear anticipatory bail plea of Bengal BJP MP Nisith Pramanik

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the response of the West Bengal government on an anticipatory bail plea filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik, who has been booked in an attempt-to-murder case.The BJP Member of Parliament (MP), representing the Dinhata Lok Sabha constituency, approached the top court after a division bench of the Calcutta High Court adjourned the hearing of his anticipatory bail petition last week without granting him relief.A bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal of the Supreme Court during the day issued notice on Pramanik’s special leave petition and agreed to hear it on Friday.Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, appearing for the BJP leader, explained Pramanik’s apprehension of an imminent arrest, saying an arrest warrant was issued by a magistrate in March last year, at the time of taking cognisance.Patwalia said, “Please give me protection,” To this, Justice Trivedi asked. “Why do you apprehend an arrest now, when you have not been arrested for so long?”In response, Patwalia replied that West Bengal’s political situation was ‘volatile’, citing that Pramanik has moved to the Bhartiya Janata Party from Trinamool Congress. “He is also a minister of state. He is apprehending some embarrassment”.The bench ultimately agreed to hear the bail petition urgently. The Court issued notice to the West Bengal government and directed the matter be listed for Friday. UNI SNG SSP