Gold trader murder: HC cancels Rajgunj BDO’s anticipatory bail

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Monday set aside the anticipatory bail granted to a Block Development Officer (BDO) accused in the murder of a gold trader and directed him to surrender before the investigating agency within 72 hours.

Justice Tirthankar Ghosh passed the order while allowing a plea filed by the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate challenging the bail granted by a lower court to Prashanta Barman, the Rajganj BDO.

During earlier hearings, the court had expressed reservations over the manner in which the additional district judge granted anticipatory bail, noting that the decision was taken primarily on the submissions of the public prosecutor, even though the case diary was available for perusal.

The High Court observed that such material ought to have been examined before extending pre-arrest protection in a serious offence like murder.

The case relates to the killing of Swapan Kamila, a gold trader from Balasore, who went missing from Salt Lake’s Duttabad area on October 28. His body was recovered the following day from a canal bank near Jatragachhi in New Town.

Investigators have alleged that Kamila was kidnapped and murdered as part of a planned crime. Two close associates of the Rajganj BDO have already been arrested in connection with the case. With the anticipatory bail now cancelled, the High Court directed Barman to surrender within the stipulated time and cooperate with the ongoing investigation.