Calcutta High Court Rejects Plea Seeking Protection For Abhishek Banerjee Aide

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday rejected a plea seeking interim protection from arrest for Sumit Roy, the absconding personal assistant of Trinamool Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee. The plea was filed in connection with an alleged illegal land-grabbing case in West Midnapore district, with Roy’s counsel seeking protection from any coercive police action during the ongoing investigation.

A single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh refused to grant interim relief, stating that the investigation was still at an initial stage and the court could not provide protection from possible police action, including arrest. The court’s decision came after hearing arguments from both Roy’s legal team and the state authorities.

Roy has been accused of involvement in a land fraud case related to Salboni in West Midnapore district. During the hearing, his counsel Sabyasachi Banerjee argued that the allegations against his client were baseless. He claimed that the land records showed legitimate ownership details and alleged that the police had failed to provide evidence supporting claims of illegal transactions or commission payments.

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Representing the state, Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar argued that statements recorded during the investigation suggested that local residents, including the original landowner, were allegedly forced to vacate the property under pressure. He further claimed that incriminating documents were recovered from the possession of former Trinamool Congress legislator Sujoy Hazra, who has already been arrested in connection with the case.

Majumdar told the court that the investigation had revealed alleged use of fictitious names in land transfer documents, including names such as Bishnu Roy, Paltu Roy and Kamala Roy, despite no individuals being found under those identities. He also claimed that financial transactions related to the alleged land deals were carried out in cash and that investigators were examining the wider financial trail.

After considering arguments from both sides, the Calcutta High Court dismissed Roy’s plea for interim protection. The police investigation into the alleged land-grabbing case is continuing, with authorities examining documents, financial records and other evidence connected to the matter.

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