After 13 years, HC grants bail to Saradha scam accused Sen

9 APRIL 2026

The Calcutta High Court granted conditional bail to multi-crore Saradha ponzi scam accused Sudipta Sen in the last two of the over 300 criminal cases against him, paving the way for his release from jail after 13 years.
The court observed that the right to a speedy trial is inalienable under Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the fundamental right to protection of life and personal liberty.
“When an individual is detained for 13 years, a period nearly doubles the maximum sentence for the offences charged, the detention shifts from preventive to punitive,” the Bench observed.
The court noted that Mr. Sen has been granted bail in 387 out of 389 cases, including all CBI matters, without any report of obstructive conduct.
The Saradha group, headed by Mr. Sen, allegedly defrauded lakhs of people through a number of ponzi schemes.
He was arrested in April 2013 after financial misappropriations to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees were unravelled.
Along with Mr. Sen, his close associate Debjani Mukherjee was also arrested 13 years ago. She has already been granted bail in the cases against her.