Kolkata/IBNS: The Calcutta High Court Tuesday granted bail to former Sandeshkhali CPI(M) MLA Nirapada Sardar, who was arrested by the Bengal Police, for his alleged involvement in the violent protests in pockets of the North 24 Parganas district.

Slamming the Bengal Police for Sardar's arrest, the court said it was quite intriguing that the former CPI(M) legislator was arrested just based on a complaint filed against him.

Sardar was arrested from his residence in south Kolkata on Feb 11 based on an FIR filed at the Sandeshkhali police station under various IPC sections, including rioting, theft, and conspiracy and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Bengal Police alleged that Sardar provoked local villagers of Sandeshkhali against some Trinamool Congress leaders.

While granting him bail on Tuesday, the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi said that if the arrested CPI(M) leader is not released on the same day it will be deemed as "contempt of court".

The court also directed the Superintendent of Basirhat District Police to submit a report to the court on this count on the next date of hearing.

Nirapada Sardar has been in police custody for the last 17 days.

The former CPI(M) MLA, who had won from Sandeshkhali in the 2011 Assembly elections, was arrested based on a complaint filed by local Trinamool Congress leader Shibu Hazra, who himself was arrested later on multiple charges including forceful land grabbing, illegal conversion of land into pisciculture farms and sexual harassment of local women.