The Calcutta High Court has ordered absconding Rajganj Block Development Officer Prasanta Barman to surrender before a trial court by 3:30 p.m. on October 8 in connection with a murder case, warning that his immovable assets will be seized if he fails to appear.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai also mandated an immediate freeze on Barman’s salary and service entitlements if they are still being disbursed. The order followed an admission by the state’s counsel that authorities had not provided instructions on whether the missing bureaucrat remains formally employed in his post.
Judicial Rebuke And Salary Freeze
Addressing the administrator’s continued evasion, the bench stated that any individual demonstrating contempt for the legal system must face strict consequences. The judges highlighted that Barman has remained in hiding despite explicit directives to surrender issued by both the high court and the Supreme Court.
Allegations Surrounding Gold Merchant’s Death
Barman is accused of involvement in the killing of gold merchant Swapan Kamila, whose family named the block development officer in connection with the crime. Kamila went missing from the Duttabad neighborhood of Salt Lake on October 28, 2025. His body was recovered the following day near Jatragachi in New Town.
Repeated Defiance Of Judicial Mandates
The case against Barman has seen multiple judicial interventions over the past year. The high court initially revoked his bail on December 12, 2025, instructing him to turn himself in to the court of an additional chief judicial magistrate.
Barman challenged the cancellation through a special leave petition before the Supreme Court. On January 19, 2026, the apex court dismissed his plea and gave him four days to surrender. Barman failed to comply with that timeline and has remained on the run since.
Investigation Status And Next Hearing
The state Criminal Investigation Department, which is conducting the inquiry into Kamila’s death, submitted a progress report during Tuesday’s proceedings. Accepting the agency’s submission, the division bench scheduled the next hearing for December 14, by which date investigators must present a comprehensive update on the probe.
