SC to hear bail cancellation petition of an MP on Oct 13

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) The Supreme Court today fixed October 13, for hearing of a petition seeking cancellation of bail granted to a former member of Lok Sabha from Purulia in West Bengal sentenced to ten year imprisonment for committing gang rape in 1982.

A bench comprising Justices B N Aggarwal, P P Naolekar and Lokeshwar Singh Panta fixed the date of hearing after the matter was mentioned before the court by counsel for the petitioner seeking early date of hearing. Bir Singh Mahto, a Forward Bloc MP was sentenced to ten year RI along with a fine of Rs 5,000 by the trial court on May 12, 2006.

The Kolkata High Court granted him bail on August 23 after admitting his appeal against his conviction. On November 20, 1982 a gang of 39 people first attacked the fields of the complainant and forcibly cut the standing crop and later attacked the house and gang raped the victim.

The victim was gang raped by five people including the MP.

The trial court convicted all the five people. The petitioner Arjun Chandra Bakht has contended that the High Court had commited an error in granting bail to the accused who is an infulential person in the area and may misuse his liberty.

UNI AKS/SKC DKA RP PM1732