On Thursday Justice Roy had suggested that the CBI exercise the legal provisions of using video-conference instead of physical production of the accused persons in the ACJM court at Jhargram. A total of 11 persons have been arrested in connection with the case. Advocate Himansu De, counsel for the CBI, apprised the High Court on Monday that the state government had exercised the video-linkage facility during the Aftab Ansari case a few years ago. On Wednesday state Advocate General Balai Roy supported the CBI plea to transfer the case from Jhargram to Kolkata on grounds of the security threat to the accused persons and the CBI team. On Monday advocate Tirthankar Ghosh, counsel for the state government, said that it would not file an affidavit in this case.

The accused persons in the Jnaneswari case would be produced in the ACJM court at Jhargram on August 12. On Thursday Justice Roy criticised the CBI for not using the provisions of the UAPA, which empowers the investigating agency to produce the accused person after 30 days.

The CBI filed an application last week seeking an order to produce the accused persons after 30 days instead of 14 days.

On Monday Justice Roy held that the CBI could produce the accused persons after 30 days and asked the CBI counsel to place the High Court order before the Jhargram ACJM during the hearing on August 12. Bapi Mahato, prime accused in the train sabotage case, was also wanted in several other criminal cases pending in the Jhargram court.

If he was produced in the Jhargram court in connection with the other cases, the threat to Bapi’s life would remain, Justice Roy pointed out.

The case will come up for hearing on Friday.

Advocate Kausik Sinha, counsel for the accused, on Monday alleged that the CBI team had ransacked the house of Manik Mahato at Manikpara during search operations on August 5.

Sinha filed a petition against the CBI and the ACJM court would hear the case on August 12, he said.

On Monday the CBI produced Tapan Mahato and Altab Mian, who were arrested on Sunday, in the ACJM court, Jhargram.