Missing case papers, no interim relief: Abhishek Banerjee's PA Sumit Roy in deeper trouble

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's personal assistant, Sumit Roy, suffered a major setback on Tuesday after the Calcutta High Court declined to grant him interim protection in connection with a land fraud case.

The anticipatory bail plea of Banerjee's aide could not be heard as the court noted that the West Bengal government had not been informed about the matter.

With no interim relief in place, Roy now faces the possibility of arrest if police trace him.

The matter was listed before Justice Shubhra Ghosh after it was originally being heard by Justice Joy Sengupta, who was unavailable.

During the hearing, confusion reportedly emerged over several case-related documents, with some copies said to be missing from the records.

In view of the procedural lapse, the bench declined to hear the matter and directed that the case be placed before the regular bench.

Roy's counsel urged the court to grant anticipatory bail and requested protection from any coercive police action if his client appeared before investigators. However, the court did not extend any interim shield.

Making a significant submission during the hearing, Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar argued that in the absence of interim protection, there is no legal restraint on the police.

The observation effectively means investigators are free to arrest Roy if they locate him during the ongoing probe.

Roy has been on the radar of investigators for several weeks following allegations of land fraud.

A complaint registered at the Shalboni Police Station accuses him of taking Rs 10 lakh from a man after allegedly promising to arrange a plot of land. The complainant claims the land was never provided despite the payment.

Investigators suspect the alleged fraud may not have been limited to a single complainant.

Police believe several others may also have been duped using a similar promise of land deals, and the investigation is continuing to identify additional victims and trace Roy's whereabouts.