Calcutta HC rejects anticipatory bail of Abhishek Banerjee's absconding PA
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has shut the door on anticipatory bail for Sumit Roy — the absconding PA of TMC heavyweight Abhishek Banerjee — in a case involving alleged illegal sale of government land using fake documents. With a CID lookout notice active and a district court arrest warrant in place, Roy's legal options are narrowing fast.
Key Takeaways
Calcutta High Court Justice Tirthankar Ghosh rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Sumit Roy on Monday .
Roy is the Personal Assistant of TMC General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee .
He is accused of grabbing and selling government-vested land in Salboni, West Midnapore using fake documents.
The CID issued a lookout notice against Roy in June ; an arrest warrant was also issued by the West Midnapore district court .
Police raided Abhishek Banerjee's Kalighat residence on 13 June after Roy's mobile tower location was traced there, but did not find him.
Roy remains absconding; the rejection of bail leaves him liable to arrest upon being located.
The Calcutta High Court on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Sumit Roy, the absconding Personal Assistant of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, in a land-grabbing case registered by West Bengal Police. A single-judge Bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh delivered the ruling, closing Roy's latest legal avenue to avoid arrest.
The Allegations Against Sumit Roy
Roy stands accused of illegally acquiring and selling government-vested land in Salboni, West Midnapore district, using fabricated documents. Following a formal complaint, police launched an investigation and attempted to locate Roy at multiple addresses — all without success. The failure to trace him led the West Midnapore district court to issue an arrest warrant against him.
Court Proceedings and Bench Change Request
Even as police were searching for Roy, his counsel approached the Calcutta High Court seeking anticipatory bail, simultaneously requesting an urgent hearing and a change of Bench. Both requests were turned down. The matter was eventually heard before the regular Bench of Justice Ghosh, which on Monday formally rejected the anticipatory bail application.
CID Lookout Notice and Kalighat Raid
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police had issued a lookout notice against Roy in June this year. On 13 June, officers from the Salboni police station, accompanied by central forces, arrived early in the morning at Abhishek Banerjee's residence in Kalighat, south Kolkata. According to sources, the last tower location trace of Roy's mobile phone had been detected at that address. After waiting for a considerable period, police broke open the lock and entered the premises — but Roy was not found there.
Search Extends to Serampore
On the same day, police also conducted a search at Roy's in-laws' house in Serampore, Hooghly district, but again failed to locate him. Roy has remained absconding since the case was registered, and the rejection of his anticipatory bail now leaves him exposed to arrest the moment he surfaces. The case adds to a string of legal and political controversies surrounding individuals linked to senior TMC leadership in West Bengal.
With anticipatory bail now denied, investigators are expected to intensify efforts to trace Roy, and the lookout notice issued by the CID remains active.
Point of View
A district court arrest warrant, and a police raid on the Kalighat home of one of the TMC's most powerful figures. The fact that Roy's mobile signal was last traced to Abhishek Banerjee's residence will sustain scrutiny regardless of whether Roy is eventually found there. West Bengal's land-grabbing cases have a pattern of implicating political proxies while principals remain insulated — the question is whether investigators will follow this chain further up.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court reject Sumit Roy's anticipatory bail?
The Calcutta High Court, through a single-judge Bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, rejected the anticipatory bail plea because Roy is an absconder in a land-grabbing case involving the alleged illegal acquisition and sale of government-vested land using fake documents in Salboni, West Midnapore. The court also earlier turned down requests for an urgent hearing and a change of Bench.
Who is Sumit Roy and what is he accused of?
Sumit Roy is the Personal Assistant of TMC General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee. He is accused of grabbing and selling government-vested land in Salboni, West Midnapore district, using fabricated documents, following which West Bengal Police registered an FIR and a district court issued an arrest warrant against him.
Why did police raid Abhishek Banerjee's Kalighat residence?
On 13 June, officers from the Salboni police station, accompanied by central forces, raided Abhishek Banerjee's Kalighat residence after the last tower location of Roy's mobile phone was traced to that address. Police broke open the lock after waiting for some time, but Roy was not found on the premises.
What is the current status of the case against Sumit Roy?
Roy remains absconding. The CID has an active lookout notice against him, the West Midnapore district court has issued an arrest warrant, and the Calcutta High Court has now rejected his anticipatory bail plea. He can be arrested as soon as he is located.
Is Abhishek Banerjee himself accused in this case?
Based on available information, the FIR and charges in this case are against Sumit Roy. Abhishek Banerjee has not been named as an accused; however, the police raid on his residence and the mobile tower trace to his address have drawn political attention to the case.
