After remaining in CBI custody for almost 217 days, senior BJD leader and three-time MlA Pravat Ranjan Biswal was granted an interim bail for 60 days by the Orissa High Court on Tuesday.
The Cuttack-Choudwar MlA was arrested by the CBI on September 19 last year in connection with his alleged complicities with the tainted chit fund company Seashore Group pertaining to a land deal.
Justice Biswanath Rath granted the interim bail to Biswal and posted the matter to be heard again on June 25. The bail was granted after the CBI failed to produce the up-to-date case diary (CD) despite repeated notices.
It may be mentioned that soon after Biswal was arrested and taken on a remand for custodial interrogation allowed by the Bhubaneswar-based CBI Court, he was taken ill and hospitalised. He was shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital here on September 25 last; and since then, he had been undergoing treatment.