Slum protests: Scientist Ray granted bail

Scientist Partha Sarothi Ray, 36, arrested in connection with an eviction drive at Nonadanga in east Kolkata on April 8 , was on Wednesday granted bail by a court in Alipore. Ray was arrested for obstructing policemen during a lathicharge on protesters on April 4.

The government was under pressure ever since the scientist was taken into custody.

Nearly 300 scientists, from India and abroad, have initiated a campaign for the release of Ray, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, and a faculty of Kolkata's Indian Institute of Science Education and Research. The scientists have written to Prime Minister and have also sought the intervention of the Governor and the Chief Minister in the matter.

Ray's counsel advocate Subhasish Roy said a bail petition was moved today for Ray and six others who were arrested in connection with the April 4 incident and remanded to judicial custody.

While the public prosecutor did not oppose the bail plea of Ray, he opposed the bail for six others. The police brought charges that Ray had allegedly resisted the police and obstructed them from performing their duty. His lawyer, however, pleaded that he was not present at the Nonadanga demonstration site on April 4 and was in his office at Kalyani.

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