Relief for MLA Pravat Biswal as Odisha HC grants interim bail

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court today granted conditional interim bail to BJD’s Choudwar-Cuttack MLA Pravat Biswal, who was arrested by CBI in connection with the Seashore Group chit fund scam, for two months.

While granting him bail, the High Court laid down condition for the legislator to cooperate with the investigators in the probe. The MLA has been asked by the court to appear before it after two months.

Notably, Biswal was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the wee hours of September 19, last year from his Mahanadi Vihar residence in Cuttack for his alleged complicity in the Seashore Group chit fund scam.

Later on September 25, as the health condition of the BJD lawmaker deteriorated, a panel of doctors comprising of Orthopaedic, Medicine, Surgery and Cardiology specialists treating him at the Capital Hospital recommended for his shifting to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. He was undergoing treatment at the hospital since then.

The MLA was under scanner over a deal between his wife Laxmi Bilasini Biswal and Seashore Group CMD Prashant Dash over a piece of land measuring 34 gunths at Benapur mouza in Jajpur district.

Dash had paid Rs 25 lakh for the land by cheque in two installments to Laxmi Bilasini in April 2012. However, Dash had cancelled the deal later and had wanted his money back.

The MLA’s wife had claimed that she returned the money to Dash by cash and was in possession of an agreement reached between her and Dash on court paper in the matter.