The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the arrest of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, in the alleged Salboni land grab case while directing him to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Passing an interim order, a Bench consisting of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohan stayed the arrest of the petitioner, Sumit Roy, conditional upon his cooperation with the investigation
The case concerns allegations of illegal grabbing and fraudulent transfer of government land in Salboni in West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district. Roy has been named as an accused in the probe.
In June, a Midnapore court issued a warrant for Roy’s arrest after the investigating agency informed it that he could not be traced despite repeated attempts. Police had also searched Abhishek Banerjee’s Kolkata residence during the investigation but did not find Roy there.
Earlier this week, the Calcutta High Court dismissed Roy’s anticipatory bail plea, observing that custodial interrogation could not be ruled out at the present stage of the investigation.
Roy then moved the Supreme Court seeking protection from arrest.
Representing Roy, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan assured the Court that his client was willing to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation
Opposing the plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the West Bengal government, argued that Roy’s custodial interrogation was necessary for an effective investigation.
Addressing the State’s insistence on custodial interrogation notwithstanding the petitioner’s undertaking to cooperate, the Court raised doubts over the necessity of custody, prompting Chief Justice Surya Kant to remark on police efficacy.
In response, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that arrest attempts were persistently thwarted, alleging direct obstruction by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
After hearing both sides, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to Roy while making it clear that he must cooperate with the investigation.
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