Calcutta HC directs police not to arrest former Trinamool legislator Atin Ghosh while bail plea pending

Kolkata, July 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the West Bengal Police to ensure that former Trinamool Congress legislator and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh is not arrested while his bail plea is pending before it.

Ghosh’s plea for anticipatory bail in a case registered against him in connection with land-grabbing charges was scheduled to be heard by the single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh on Monday.

However, for some reason, the hearing in the matter was postponed till Tuesday. However, Justice Ghosh directed the police to ensure that Ghosh is not arrested till the matter is pending.

Last month, the Bidhannagar North Police station under the Bidhannagar City Police in North 24 Parganas district summoned Ghosh and his daughter Priyadarshini Ghosh for interrogation in the matter. Thereafter, Ghosh approached the Calcutta High Court with an anticipatory bail petition.

While announcing the decision to postpone the hearing in the matter, Justice Ghosh also observed that the police often had a tendency to get any accused in custody immediately after a court-awarded interim protection against coercive police action, including arrest, lapsed.

"Do not arrest the petitioner in this case. I have observed that in many cases, the police arrest them immediately after the expiry of any interim protection," he said.

In reply to this observation from Justice Ghosh, the public prosecutor submitted to the court that the police adopt any action depending on the circumstances on a case-to-case basis.

"However, if a case is pending, coercive action will not be adopted against the accused. The police will be informed accordingly," the public prosecutor submitted.

Last month, a case of land grabbing was filed against Atin Ghosh and his daughter. There is an allegation of fraud of Rs 50 lakh against them. A hotel owner alleged that his property was forcibly taken away for a small amount of money.

Although the incident took place in the Pragati Maidan police station area, the complaint was later filed with the Bidhannagar North police station in the Salt Lake area of Kolkata. Officers of that police station are investigating the incident.

However, Atin Ghosh dismissed the allegations against him. "I do not know the person who made the complaint. My daughter bought a property from them. In my 50 years of political life, no one can make any corruption allegations against me. Still, if the police call me for the sake of investigation, I am ready to cooperate in every way."

Source: IANS