The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory bail application of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, clearing the way for his potential arrest in the Salboni land fraud case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana also lifted an interim protection order issued on August 6 that had previously shielded Roy from arrest. With the vacation of that relief, investigative authorities are now free to take Roy into custody for interrogation.
The decision followed arguments presented by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan on behalf of Roy and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the state. Opposing pre-arrest bail, the Solicitor General told the bench that custodial interrogation of the accused was necessary for the investigation.
The probe, handled by the Salboni police, centers on allegations that West Bengal government land was illegally alienated and sold, with the resulting financial proceeds deposited into the Trinamool Congress’s party account. The prosecution has accused influential figures and local political leaders of colluding to execute the illicit land transfers.
The criminal case encompasses charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, using forged documents, and criminal breach of trust.
Thursday’s apex court ruling upholds the stance taken by the Calcutta High Court, where Justice Tirthankar Ghosh had rejected Roy’s anticipatory bail petition on August 3. During proceedings before the High Court, state counsel had submitted that investigators had uncovered counterfeit title deeds utilized to fraudulently transfer the government-owned plots.
