Sumit Roy safe only in custody, will be killed if freed: Dilip Ghosh
Synopsis
BJP leader Dilip Ghosh has made a stark claim: TMC aide Sumit Roy is safer behind bars than free, alleging TMC insiders would kill him for what he knows. With Roy facing two FIRs, ₹1.02 crore recovered linked to him, and his wife petitioning the Calcutta High Court over custodial torture, West Bengal's political-criminal flashpoint is now a courtroom battle too.
Key Takeaways
Dilip Ghosh , West Bengal minister and former BJP state president, claimed on 14 November that Sumit Roy would be killed by TMC insiders if released from custody.
Roy's wife Sushmita Roy filed a writ petition in the Calcutta High Court alleging custodial torture and fear of a staged encounter.
Roy faces two cases: an alleged illegal land-grabbing case in Salboni, West Midnapore , and a multi-crore soil-theft FIR by Diamond Harbour Police District .
Police recovered ₹1.02 crore in cash from a TMC office at Sarisha, South 24 Parganas on 5 November , citing Roy's inputs.
Abhishek Banerjee alleged the cash was planted and accused police of threatening Roy with a fake encounter.
West Bengal Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh on Saturday, 14 November 2026, claimed that Sumit Roy — executive assistant to Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee — is safe only as long as he remains in police custody. Ghosh alleged that Roy would be murdered by TMC insiders the moment he is released, because he reportedly possesses sensitive secrets about the party.
What Ghosh Said
Speaking to reporters, the former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president and national vice-president pushed back against a writ petition filed before the Calcutta High Court by Roy's wife, Sushmita Roy. In her plea, Sushmita accused the West Bengal Police of custodial torture and expressed fear that her husband could be killed in a staged encounter.
'Such baseless allegations are nothing new. Previously, such things have been said several times by both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. All I can say is that Roy is safe in police custody. Had he been outside, he would have been killed by Trinamool Congress insiders, since he knows too much,' Ghosh told reporters.
Roy's Arrests and Custody Trail
Roy was initially arrested earlier this year in connection with an alleged illegal land-grabbing case at Salboni in West Midnapore district and was subsequently placed in judicial custody after completing his police remand. This month, the Diamond Harbour Police District in South 24 Parganas registered a fresh First Information Report (FIR) against him in connection with a multi-crore soil-theft case. Police formally re-arrested him and secured his remand back into police custody.
On 5 November, police recovered ₹1.02 crore in cash from a TMC party office at Sarisha in South 24 Parganas, claiming the recovery was based on inputs obtained from Roy during questioning.
Abhishek Banerjee's Counter-Allegations
Following the cash seizure, Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the Sarisha party office had been vandalised by BJP-backed miscreants approximately five months ago and accused police of planting the cash. He further alleged that Diamond Harbour police officials were threatening Roy with a fake encounter to pressure him into making statements implicating Banerjee.
The Bigger Picture
This comes amid a deepening political confrontation between the BJP and TMC in West Bengal, with both sides trading accusations over law enforcement conduct. The case highlights the volatile intersection of criminal investigations, custodial rights, and high-stakes political rivalry in the state. With the Calcutta High Court petition now in play, judicial scrutiny of Roy's custody conditions is expected to intensify in the days ahead.
Point of View
It is an indictment of TMC's internal disciplinary culture; if read as political theatre, it is a calculated attempt to frame any future harm to Roy as proof of TMC wrongdoing. Either way, the BJP benefits from keeping this story alive. The Calcutta High Court petition injects a credible institutional check, but it also exposes the limits of judicial oversight in real-time custody disputes. What this case really tests is whether West Bengal's law enforcement agencies can operate without being perceived as instruments of either party — a test they have repeatedly failed in recent years.
NationPress
14 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sumit Roy and why is he in custody?
Sumit Roy is the executive assistant to TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. He was first arrested in connection with an alleged illegal land-grabbing case in Salboni, West Midnapore, and later faced a fresh FIR from Diamond Harbour Police District in a multi-crore soil-theft case, returning him to police custody.
What did Dilip Ghosh claim about Sumit Roy?
Ghosh claimed that Roy is safe only as long as he remains in police custody, alleging that TMC insiders would murder him if he were released because he possesses sensitive information about the party. Ghosh called his wife's allegations of custodial torture 'baseless.'
What is Sushmita Roy's petition about?
Sushmita Roy, Sumit Roy's wife, filed a writ petition before the Calcutta High Court accusing West Bengal Police of subjecting her husband to custodial torture. She also expressed fear that he could be killed in a staged police encounter.
What was recovered from the Sarisha TMC office?
On 5 November, police recovered ₹1.02 crore in cash from a TMC party office at Sarisha in South 24 Parganas, claiming the recovery was based on information obtained from Roy during questioning. Abhishek Banerjee alleged the cash was planted by police.
What has Abhishek Banerjee alleged about the police?
Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the Sarisha TMC office had been vandalised by BJP-backed individuals around five months ago and accused Diamond Harbour police officials of planting the cash. He also claimed police were threatening Roy with a fake encounter to coerce statements against him.
