Abhishek Banerjee's absconding PA Sumit Roy appears before CID in Kolkata
Synopsis
After evading police for months — surviving warrant, lookout notice, and raids at Abhishek Banerjee's own Kalighat home — Sumit Roy walked into the CID office in Kolkata on Saturday only because the Supreme Court's conditional protection left him no other choice. The case spotlights the legal maneuvering available to those with proximity to political power, even as the underlying land-grabbing allegations remain unresolved.
Key Takeaways
Sumit Roy , PA to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee , appeared before the CID at Bhavani Bhavan, Kolkata on 8 August .
The Supreme Court on 6 August granted Roy conditional interim protection from arrest in a land-grabbing case registered at Salboni Police Station, West Midnapore .
The Calcutta High Court had earlier rejected his anticipatory bail plea, with Justice Tirthankar Ghosh citing the gravity of allegations.
Roy is accused of grabbing and selling government-vested land using forged documents ; a local court had issued an arrest warrant against him.
In June , police searched Abhishek Banerjee's Kalighat residence and Roy's in-laws' home in Serampore but could not locate him.
Sumit Roy, the Personal Assistant of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, surfaced on Saturday, 8 August after a prolonged period of evasion and presented himself at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office at Bhavani Bhavan in South Kolkata for interrogation. His appearance came after the Supreme Court granted him interim protection from arrest in a land-grabbing case earlier this week.
How Roy Finally Appeared
Roy reached Bhavani Bhavan shortly before 10 am on Saturday, ahead of an 11 am deadline set by the CID. The agency had served a notice at his residence in South Kolkata on Friday evening directing him to report the following morning. Multiple cases and FIRs had been registered against Roy during the period he remained untraceable.
What the Supreme Court Ordered
On 6 August, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana granted Roy interim protection in the illegal land-grabbing case registered against him at Salboni Police Station. The court, however, made the relief conditional — Roy was required to join the investigation and extend full cooperation to the investigating agency. His arrest remains stayed till further orders.
Why the Calcutta High Court Refused Bail
Roy had initially approached the Calcutta High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the Salboni land-grabbing case. A single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh rejected the plea earlier this week, holding that the nature of the allegations and the material gathered during investigation made it an unfit case for anticipatory bail. Roy then moved the Supreme Court, which granted the conditional interim protection.
The Land-Grabbing Allegations
The case centres on allegations that Roy grabbed and sold government-vested land in Salboni, West Midnapore district, using forged documents. Following a formal complaint, police registered an FIR and launched an investigation. When Roy could not be traced at his known addresses, a local court issued an arrest warrant. The CID had also issued a lookout notice against him.
Earlier Search Operations
In June, police teams conducted searches at Abhishek Banerjee's residence in Kolkata's Kalighat neighbourhood and at Roy's in-laws' residence in Serampore, but he was not found at either location. His prolonged absence had drawn scrutiny given his proximity to one of the TMC's most prominent leaders. With Roy now before the CID, investigators are expected to press him on the land-grabbing allegations in detail.
Point of View
Escalate to the apex court for interim relief, then comply just enough to keep the stay alive. The Supreme Court's conditional protection is legally sound, but it effectively handed Roy the terms of his own surrender. What the investigation now needs to establish is whether Roy acted alone or whether the land-grabbing operation had any institutional backing — a question the CID's interrogation must answer, not sidestep. The raids on Abhishek Banerjee's Kalighat residence, even if procedurally routine, signal that investigators are not treating this as an isolated case of a rogue aide.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sumit Roy and why was he being sought by the CID?
Sumit Roy is the Personal Assistant of TMC General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee. He was being sought by the West Bengal CID in connection with a case of illegal land-grabbing at Salboni Police Station in West Midnapore, where he is accused of grabbing and selling government-vested land using forged documents.
Why did the Supreme Court grant Sumit Roy interim protection?
On 6 August, a Supreme Court Division Bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana granted Roy interim protection from arrest in the Salboni land-grabbing case. The relief was conditional on Roy joining the investigation and fully cooperating with the CID; his arrest remains stayed till further orders.
Why did the Calcutta High Court reject Roy's anticipatory bail?
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court rejected Roy's anticipatory bail plea, holding that the nature of the allegations and the material collected during investigation made it an unfit case for such relief. Roy then approached the Supreme Court, which granted conditional interim protection.
What is the Salboni land-grabbing case about?
The case involves allegations that Sumit Roy grabbed and sold government-vested land in Salboni, West Midnapore district, using forged documents. A complaint led to an FIR and police investigation; when Roy could not be traced, a local court issued an arrest warrant and the CID issued a lookout notice.
Were searches conducted at Abhishek Banerjee's residence in connection with this case?
Yes. In June, police teams searched Abhishek Banerjee's residence in Kolkata's Kalighat area and Roy's in-laws' home in Serampore as part of efforts to locate Roy, but he was not found at either location.
