Bidhannagar cops move HC against BDO’s anticipatory bail in gold trader’s murder case

Kolkata: The Bidhannagar Police have approached the Calcutta High Court challenging the anticipatory bail granted to Rajganj Block Development Officer (BDO) Prashant Barman, who has been accused of involvement in the kidnapping and murder of gold trader Swapan Kamilya in the Duttabad area.

The police have questioned the Barasat Court’s November 26 order granting him anticipatory bail, alleging that Barman had submitted “forged” documents while seeking protection from arrest.

According to officers, the BDO’s lawyer told the Barasat court that Barman was not at his New Town residence on the day the trader was abducted, and produced a guest house receipt to support the claim. Investigators now maintain that the receipt is fake and that Barman was present at his New Town residence, where the victim was allegedly taken.

The anticipatory bail became operative on November 29 after Barman appeared before the Bidhannagar Sub-divisional Court, where he furnished a bond of Rs 50,000. Court sources said he has been directed to cooperate with the investigation.

The gold trader’s family has questioned how Barman secured anticipatory bail despite their formal complaint naming him. They pointed out that several of his associates, including his driver Raju Dhali, close acquaintance Tufan Thapa, and Cooch Behar Trinamool leader Sajal Sarkar and his brother Vivekananda, have been arrested, but the BDO has not been taken into custody.

Kamilya was abducted on October 28 from a gold shop in Duttabad. When his family tried to file a missing diary at Bidhannagar South Police Station, they learnt a body had been recovered in New Town’s Jatragachi area. The family identified the body from photographs, following which a murder case was registered.

The High Court is expected to hear the police’s petition later this week.