Did the Rajganj BDO Receive Anticipatory Bail for Gold Trader's Murder?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Prashant Barman granted anticipatory bail amidst serious allegations.
- Family of the victim questions police investigation integrity.
- Five individuals arrested, including Barman's associates.
- Concerns raised over the role of a government vehicle in the crime.
- The impact of this case on justice and accountability is significant.
Kolkata, Nov 29 (NationPress) The Block Development Officer (BDO) of Rajganj, Prashant Barman, received anticipatory bail from a court on Saturday amidst allegations of his involvement in the murder of a gold trader. The Bidhannagar Sub-divisional Court in West Bengal approved bail on a bond of Rs 50,000.
Upon exiting the court, Barman remarked, "I will refrain from commenting on the ongoing case. I hold the media in high regard, but it is not your place to act as a judge."
Previously, on November 26, the Barasat Court had also granted anticipatory bail to the BDO.
However, the bail took effect only after he appeared at the Bidhannagar Court on Saturday.
His bail conditions mandate that he collaborate with the investigative authorities.
The family of the slain gold trader has expressed doubts about the police investigation following the bail approval for Barman.
They alleged that they had lodged a complaint against BDO Prashant Barman.
While several of the BDO's close associates have been apprehended, Barman remains free.
Moreover, the family is questioning how he secured anticipatory bail despite a formal complaint against him.
Currently, five individuals have been arrested in connection with the gold trader's murder.
On October 28, gold trader Swapan Kamilya was abducted from his shop in the Duttabad area of Kolkata, transported in a car equipped with a blue beacon due to an alleged gold theft.
Subsequently, while attempting to file a missing person report at the Bidhannagar South Police Station, Kamilya's family learned of a body discovered in the Jatragachi area of Kolkata's New Town.
They identified the deceased after viewing a photograph of Swapan. Following this, a case was initiated against the assailants under charges of kidnapping and murder.
The family asserts that BDO Prashant Barman orchestrated the murder and was directly involved.
During the investigation, the Bidhannagar Police arrested five individuals connected to the crime, including the BDO's driver, Raju Dhali, and a close friend, Tufan Thapa, along with Trinamool Congress leaders Sajal Sarkar and his brother Vivekananda Sarkar.
It has been alleged that following the murder, there was an attempt to dispose of the gold trader's body using a government vehicle with a blue light.
This raised immediate questions about the BDO's involvement in the murder.
The police have already seized the government vehicle alleged to have been used to transport the body of the gold trader.