Is Bengal BDO Prashant Barman Involved in Gold Trader's Murder?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Prashant Barman is seeking anticipatory bail amidst serious allegations.
- The case has raised questions about accountability in governance.
- The victim's family accuses the BDO of orchestrating the murder.
- The investigation has led to multiple arrests.
- The Barasat District Court will hear Barman's bail application soon.
Kolkata, Nov 20 (NationPress) Prashant Barman, the Block Development Officer (BDO) from Rajganj, has filed for anticipatory bail at the Barasat District Court concerning his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of gold trader Swapan Kamilya in Kolkata's New Town.
As per reports, Barman has initiated this legal action through his attorney.
He has been accused of being connected to the murder of Swapan Kamilya, a gold trader.
Furthermore, he is named in the FIR lodged by the victim's family.
Despite these allegations, the BDO has strongly refuted any participation in the crime.
Barman claims he is a victim of a malicious conspiracy.
According to sources, Barman approached the court earlier this week for anticipatory bail related to the murder case.
The court is set to hear his application on November 26.
On October 28, Swapan Kamilya was reportedly abducted from a gold shop in the Duttabad area, transported in a vehicle with a blue beacon under the pretense of a gold theft investigation.
Subsequently, while the family filed a missing person report at the Bidhannagar South Police Station, they discovered that a body had been found in the Jatragachi area of New Town.
Upon identification, the family confirmed it was Swapan's remains.
Following this, a case was initiated against the suspects under the sections related to kidnapping and murder.
The victim's family accuses Barman of orchestrating the murder, alleging he was directly involved in the abduction and killing.
During the investigation, the police detained Barman's driver Raju Dhali, a close associate Tufan Thapa, along with Sajal Sarkar, a Trinamool leader from Cooch Behar, and his brother Vivekananda Sarkar.
Sajal serves as the President of Trinamool's Cooch Behar Block II.
Allegations surfaced that after the murder, an attempt was made to dispose of Kamilya's body using a government vehicle equipped with a blue light.
This raised immediate concerns regarding the BDO's potential complicity in the crime.
The police have already confiscated the government vehicle purportedly used to transport the gold trader's body.
However, the victim's family questions why Barman has not yet been arrested despite the formal accusations against him.