Friday, December 16 2005 12:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury, who is in custody in a double murder charge, was today (Dec 16, 2005) granted bail on PR bond in a criminal defamation case filed against him by Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Anil Biswas.

The 15th metropolitan magistrate, M G Kundu, granted bail to the MP on a personal recognisance (PR) bond of Rs 2000.

The matter would come up for hearing again on January 20 when the court would hear Chowdhury's application seeking exemption from personal appearence in the matter.

The CPI(M) leader, who is also the party's state secretary had filed the criminal defamation against Chowdhury for alleging in a television interview that Biswas had stacked a huge sum of money in a foreign bank.

Around 35 Congress supporters, who gathered before the Bankshall court here in support of Chowdhury were arrested for trying break through a police cordon outside the court premises.

Chowdhury, who was brought to the city late last night from Baharampore jail, was produced before the court under heavy security.

The Congress MP from Baharampore in Murshidabad district was arrested from his official residence in Delhi on November 19 in connection with the murder of Hanif Sheikh and his son Laltu.

Chowdhury was taken to Alipore Central jail from the court and would be shifted to Baharampore later in the day.