Suspected Maoist accused of Silda attack granted bail

The Calcutta High Court Thursday granted bail to a suspected Maoist who was accused of being involved in an attack on an Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp in 2010 that left 24 personnel dead.

The EFR is a paramilitary force of West Bengal.

Bikram, alias Arnab Dam, was in custody for over seven years for his alleged involvement in the February 15, 2010 attack on the EFR camp in Silda, West Midnapore district. It is considered to be the biggest strike by the Maoists in the state.

Expressing displeasure at the prosecution for the delay in concluding hearing in the case, a division bench comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and M Mandal granted conditional bail to Bikram.

The petitioner will have to provide five local sureties of Rs 10,000 each, the bench directed.

He was directed to live under the jurisdiction of the Sonarpur police station and meet the inspector holding the charge of the police station every alternate day.

Praying for bail, the lawyer for the accused submitted that he ..