Why Did a Court Deny Bail to Expelled Trinamool Leader in Gold Trader's Murder?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sajal Sarkar remains in custody as bail is denied.
- Evidence links him to the crime scene.
- The victim's family faces intimidation.
- Political implications are significant.
- Ongoing investigations involve multiple suspects.
Kolkata, Dec 9 (NationPress) A court in West Bengal’s Barasat on Tuesday rejected the bail request of ousted Trinamool Congress leader Sajal Sarkar in connection with the murder of a gold trader.
Sajal, who previously served as the president of the Trinamool's Cooch Behar-II block, was taken into custody on November 13.
The public prosecutor emphasized that there were prior allegations against Sajal. This evidence was presented to the court, along with proof confirming his presence at the crime scene on October 28. Consequently, the judge denied his bail application.
During court proceedings, the public prosecutor expressed concerns that since Rajganj Block Development Officer (BDO) Prashant Barman received interim bail, the widow of the murdered gold trader is being pressured to withdraw her case.
Currently, she is in Odisha, and the prosecutor claimed she is being threatened against returning to West Bengal. The government lawyer further argued against granting bail to Sajal, citing evidence of his presence at multiple locations on the day of the crime, including New Town.
It's noteworthy that Sajal faced accusations of anti-party activities prior to being implicated in the murder of gold trader Swapan Kamilya.
As per Trinamool sources, he received a show-cause notice but failed to respond, leading to his expulsion from the party following the murder allegations.
Previously, the Bidhannagar Police approached the Calcutta High Court to contest the anticipatory bail granted to BDO Prashant Barman, who is accused of involvement in the gold trader's murder in the Duttabad area.
Officers of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate stated that the BDO provided forged documentation to secure his anticipatory bail.
On October 28, gold trader Swapan Kamilya was reportedly abducted from a gold shop in the Duttabad area using a vehicle with a blue beacon, in connection with a gold theft. The family later discovered a deceased individual in the Jatragachi area of New Town while filing a missing person report. They identified the body as Swapan's, leading to a case being registered against the assailants under kidnapping and murder laws. The family accused BDO Prashant Barman of orchestrating the murder.
The family alleged that the BDO was involved in the kidnapping and murder of the gold trader. During the investigation, the Bidhannagar Police apprehended five individuals related to the incident, including the BDO's driver, Raju Dhali, his close associate Tufan Thapa, and expelled Trinamool leader Sajal Sarkar along with his brother Vivekananda Sarkar.
It has been alleged that following the murder, there was an attempt to dispose of the body using a government vehicle with a blue light, raising significant questions regarding the BDO's involvement from the outset.