After five years of jail, the former commandant of 2nd battalion TSR Tapan Debbarma, prime accused in the sensational murder of journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmik was granted conditional bail by the High Court of Tripura on Wednesday.

The then commandant of 2nd battalion TSR Tapan Debbarma was arrested in 2017 as the prime accused in the daylight murder of slain journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmik  and the  murder case is being investigated by the CBI in compliance with the demand made by the journalist community of the state.

Giving details, senior advocate Pijush Kanti Biswas, who represented Tapan Debbarma in the court said that Tapan Debbarma had been granted bail by additional district and session judge five months ago, but the bail was rejected by the High Court of Tripura after CBI challenged the order of district and session court.

He said that the session court granted the bail because the trial of the case was not initiated and the accused had already passed five years of jail term as an under-trial prisoner.

After CBI knocked the door of the High Court, the HC cancelled the bail order, said Biswas and added that then Tapan Debbarma filed a special leave petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court challenging the order of HC of Tripura.

During hearing of the SLP, the Supreme Court set aside the order of the High Court and formulated some points, said Biswas and added that SC in its order said that the accused had passed the jail term of more than five years and to consider the early trial of the case.

The court also asked to HC to verify that if the accused get bail, is he will available, whether he will be able to influence the witnesses of the case and or he will able to escape, then High Court on Wednesday heard the case and after verifying all formulated points of the Supreme Court, consider the bail petition of Tapan Debbarma, said advocate Biswas and added that the High Court has granted the conditional bail to Tapan Debbarma on Wednesday with an order that accused must meet the Investigating Officer (IO) every week.

 Senior advocate Pijush Biswas said that it was the failure of CBI to handle the case properly that had led to delay  of the bail being granted to Tapan Debbarma. However, the bail granted to Tapan Debbarma has caused serious resentment among media persons in the state.