From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Gauhati High Court on Thursday granted bail to MLA Pradeep Brahma of Bodo People’s Front (BPF) who represents of Kokrajhar (West ) constituency in Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council (BTC) area in Assam.
The MLA was arrested on August 22 night from his residence in Dotoma in Kokrajhar district by Assam Police on charges f inciting mob violence during the recent communal flare-up in the BTC area.
He was MLA arrested on the basis of seven FIRs lodged against him in Dotoma and Fakiragram police stations in Kokrajhar district.
Justice P K Mushary after hearing the bail petition and perusal of the case record allowed the Kokrajhar (West) legislator bail with payment of Rs 30,000 and two sureties.
The court, while accepting Mr Brahma’s bail plea, asked the MLA to cooperate with the authorities in investigations.
The main charge leveled against him was of inciting mob to burn houses during the riot.
Immediately after his arrest ,the BPF stated that the MLA had been arrested on baseless charges by the police and demanded his immediate release without any condition.
His arrest had led to fresh tension in the riot-hit areas, with the BPF calling for an indefinite bandh against the arrest, which was subsequently withdrawn.
The arrested has sparked mass protest in the violence-hit Kokrajhar district forcing the administration to impose indefinite curfew on the day after his arrest.
The BPF which is the only alliance of ruling Congress in Assam, is in the power in the BTC.
The BPF which has 11 MLAs in Assam assembly was awarded with two ministerial berths by Gogoi though the Congress hardly needed support of the BPF to form the government.
In the 2011 Assembly election Congress won 78 seats in the 126-member Assembly which was more than enough for it to form the government on its own.
However, Gogoi as a mark of gratitude for the BPF’s crucial support during the last government (2006-11) decided to continue the tie with the BPF.
The BPF is an ally of the Congress in Assam and a partner of the UPA at the Centre. (With iputs from Agencies)