Plea bargain introduced for first time in Bengal

Coochbehar, May 23: For the first time, the option of 'plea bargain' by a convict was exercised in West Bengal.

In a ''trend-breaking'' legal proceeding here yesterday, the Jalpaiguri Chief Judicial Magistrate considered a plea bargain from Surendra Singh who was was arrested on May 28 last year and later let out on bail after serving more than six months in jail. The CJM released him on the ground that he had served his time and was now free to go.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Dipen Choudhury said, ''This law was put to action for the first time in the state and probably also in the country.'' 'Plea bargain', under the Indian Criminal Penal Code 265(b) states that a convict is allowed to bargain his punishment term by coming forward and pleading to the court. The law came into force on July 5,2006.

Surendra Singh was sentenced under the Forest Act section 26 and 42, for which he has served one month each. He also served six months time for Destruction of Governemt Property.

He was arrested last year from Kumari for smuggling wood from the state.

UNI