WB Govt Pushes for Custody of Abhishek Banerjee Aide in Land Case!
WB Govt Pushes for Custody of Abhishek Banerjee Aide in Land Case!
West Bengal government urges Supreme Court to withdraw protection for Abhishek Banerjee's aide, Sumit Roy, in a land-grabbing case, citing non-cooperation. Legal battle intensifies!
The West Bengal government is intensifying its efforts to secure the custodial interrogation of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, in connection with the Salboni land-grabbing case. On Wednesday, the state government informed the Supreme Court that Roy is allegedly not cooperating with the ongoing investigation, necessitating his police custody.
This development comes despite the Supreme Court's earlier order on August 6, which had stayed Roy's arrest but explicitly directed him to fully cooperate with the probe. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the West Bengal government, urged a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana to withdraw this protection, claiming Roy was evading questions.
Roy's legal team, led by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, countered these allegations, stating that his client has appeared before the police as directed. Sankaranarayanan also emphasized Roy's constitutional right to remain silent. Justice Bagchi, however, pointed out that "The Constitution also secures the right to arrest (of the probe agency)," highlighting the investigative agency's prerogative.
Earlier, on August 3, the Calcutta High Court had denied Roy's anticipatory bail plea in the alleged government land fraud case. The state police are investigating serious charges against him, including cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery, use of forged documents, and criminal conspiracy.
In a significant move, the Solicitor General also presented the police's collected materials in a sealed cover to the Supreme Court Bench. Chief Justice Surya Kant indicated that the matter would be heard again after he reviews this confidential report. For now, the apex court has extended its August 6 order, protecting Sumit Roy from immediate arrest, keeping the legal and political landscape around this case keenly watched.
