Partha Chatterjee’s bail hearing delayed over court jurisdiction, next hearing scheduled for Dec 5

The bail hearing of Partha Chatterjee in the primary recruitment scam case has been delayed due to a jurisdictional issue regarding the lower court. Chatterjee had filed for bail in the special CBI court at the Judicial Building in Kolkata, but the hearing could not proceed as the specific court assigned to the case has not yet been decided. The hearing has been postponed until the matter of court jurisdiction is resolved, leaving the bail petition in limbo.

The delay arises from an administrative order that has divided all CBI cases into four different special courts at the Judicial Building. This division of cases has created confusion about which court will handle Chatterjee's bail hearing. According to sources, the administration’s decision to allocate cases to specific courts has complicated the situation, as no clear directive has been issued about which court will take up the case. One of the accused in the case has already challenged this administrative order in the Kolkata High Court, and the matter is now under judicial review.

Due to the jurisdictional issue, both the defense and prosecution were present for the scheduled hearing, but no further progress could be made. The legal representatives were unable to proceed with arguments as the jurisdictional issue had yet to be resolved. The case has now been referred to the Kolkata High Court for clarity on the jurisdictional dispute. As of now, the next hearing for Partha Chatterjee's bail petition has been set for December 5, 2024. The outcome of the High Court's ruling on the jurisdictional matter will determine when and where the bail petition hearing will resume.