Overview

• Justice Suvra Ghosh ordered Chatterjee to surrender his passport, remain within the trial court’s jurisdiction, avoid contact with witnesses, and hold no public office during trial.
• The court cited his loss of official position, seized documentary evidence, prior interrogation, and low risk of interference as reasons to allow bail with safeguards.
• Procedural terms include a bond of Rs 10 lakh with sureties and periodic appearances before investigators, with violations triggering cancellation of bail.
• Chatterjee has been in custody since July 2022 and had secured bail in other related ED and CBI matters but remained jailed in the primary recruitment case.
• The CBI’s December 27 chargesheet in the primary-level appointments case names Chatterjee along with Ayan Sil and Santu Gangopadhyay, while co-accused Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya has turned approver.