Bengal: Calcutta High Court bench to hear Sujit Bose bail plea

Kolkata, Aug 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) A new single‑judge bench of the Calcutta High Court will hear the bail petition of former Trinamool Congress legislator and former West Bengal Fire Service Minister Sujit Bose in a case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Last week, Justice Suvra Ghosh recused herself from passing a verdict after completing the hearing. On August 19, she announced her decision to step aside on serious grounds, stating that one of Bose’s counsels had entered her chamber in her absence and handed over a case‑related file to her personal secretary.

Calling the development extremely unfortunate, Justice Ghosh informed Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty, who was left to decide on the new bench.

On Tuesday, the office of the Acting Chief Justice allotted the matter to the single‑judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh. The first hearing will take place on September 3.

ED officials arrested Bose on May 11 this year. He is accused of illegally recommending names of job seekers in the South Dum Dum Municipality. The ED claimed in trial court that the list contained around 150 names recommended by the former minister.

The agency further alleged that money earned through corruption was deposited into bank accounts belonging to Bose and his family members. Police questioned him several times before arresting him.

Bose, a three‑time Trinamool legislator from Bidhannagar in North 24 Parganas district, was defeated in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sharadwat Mukherjee, who is now the West Bengal Health Minister.

Source: IANS