Apex Court gives interim protection from arrest to Sheikh Sufiyan

KOLKATA: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Sufiyan, who was Mamata Banerjee's election agent in Nandigram for the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.

He has been facing the CBI probe in connection with the killing of BJP worker Debabrata Maity.

A bench, comprising Justice Nageswara Rao and Justice BR Gavai, issued the direction in a Special Leave Petition filed by Sufiyan challenging the Calcutta High Court's order rejecting his anticipatory bail application.

"There shall be stay on arrest of the petitioner in the meanwhile. No adjournment shall be granted and the Special Leave Petition shall be heard finally on that date," directed the apex court. While directing the matter to be listed on January 31, the Court has directed the state of West Bengal to file before the court all the statements recorded in the case under section 164 CrPC after the chargesheet was filed.

"We are granting protection for a week. We want to see the entire record before admitting your petition, and we will proceed only after that. We are just asking the State to place on record the papers which are relevant for us to hear all of you later," Justice Nageswara Rao said. mpost