A petition by Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, seeking immediate protection from police action was denied an expedited hearing by the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya declined the request to fast-track the proceedings, citing a high volume of comparable applications already awaiting the court’s attention. The judge ruled that the matter will not be prioritized and must be heard in its standard sequential order on the docket.
Defense Cites Threat Of Coercive Action
During the appeal for an urgent listing, legal counsel for Roy argued that the aide remains vulnerable to potential coercive measures by law enforcement regarding other pending cases.
The defense emphasized that their client is actively cooperating with ongoing investigations. As proof of compliance, his lawyers noted that Roy has been honoring official summons and recently appeared before the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at its headquarters in Kolkata.
Prior Judicial Interventions
The push for blanket interim protection follows earlier legal reprieves Roy secured in two separate high-profile matters.
Just last week, the Supreme Court of India intervened to stay his arrest in connection with an alleged land-grabbing incident in Salboni, West Bengal. While halting the arrest, the apex court mandated that Roy fully cooperate with the investigating authorities.
Prior to the Supreme Court order, Roy also successfully obtained anticipatory bail from the Calcutta High Court regarding his alleged involvement in a distinct cash-for-jobs scam investigation.
