Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee, was arrested by the West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the Salboni land-grab case after the Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant him anticipatory bail. Roy's arrest followed the withdrawal of the protection that had prevented the investigating agency from taking him into custody while his plea was being considered. The development was confirmed amid proceedings surrounding Roy's plea for protection from arrest in the case. The Supreme Court's decision cleared the way for the CID to proceed with his arrest as part of its investigation into the alleged land-grab matter in Salboni.
The case has drawn attention because of Roy's association with Abhishek Banerjee, a prominent TMC leader. Investigators are examining allegations linked to the disputed land transactions, while the legal proceedings have focused on whether Roy should receive protection from arrest during the investigation. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said in the state Assembly that Roy was arrested from the TMC office at 121, Kalighat Road. According to Adhikari, the arrest took place after the Supreme Court's protection was withdrawn. The statement provided details about the location from where Roy was taken into custody and came shortly after the court declined to grant him anticipatory bail.
His arrest marks a significant development in the CID's investigation and shifts the matter from proceedings over pre-arrest protection to Roy's custody before the investigating agency. The Salboni case concerns allegations surrounding land transactions in the area. The investigation has involved claims of irregularities in the acquisition and transfer of land, with the CID examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged land grab. Roy's involvement has been under scrutiny as investigators pursue the case. His legal challenge before the Supreme Court had temporarily prevented his arrest, but that protection was no longer available following Thursday's order.
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The court's refusal to grant anticipatory bail therefore enabled the CID to take the next step in its investigation. Roy's arrest is also politically significant because of his position as Abhishek Banerjee's personal assistant. Banerjee is a senior TMC leader and a key figure in West Bengal politics. The involvement of an aide associated with him has brought additional political attention to the case, although the allegations against Roy will have to be established through the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings. The arrest itself does not determine his guilt, and the investigation will have to establish the precise nature of his alleged role, if any, in the land-related case.
The CID is now expected to continue its investigation with Roy in custody. His arrest comes after the Supreme Court declined to extend the protection he had sought against arrest, bringing an end to the immediate legal barrier faced by the investigating agency. The case will now proceed through the investigation and judicial process, with the allegations, evidence and Roy's alleged involvement subject to further scrutiny. The development is likely to keep the Salboni land case in focus, particularly given Roy's association with Abhishek Banerjee and the political reactions surrounding the investigation.
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