Calcutta HC judge recuses from passing verdict on ex-Bengal minister’s bail plea

Kolkata, Aug 19 (IANS) The judge of the Calcutta High Court single-judge bench on Wednesday recused from passing a verdict on the bail petition of Sujit Bose, a former West Bengal Minister, in a case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) even after completing the hearing earlier this week.

The bail plea was moved by former Trinamool Congress legislator and former Fire Services Minister in the previous Mamata Banerjee-led regime in a case registered against him by the ED in connection with the multi-crore municipalities job case.

Bose, who was arrested by the ED officials earlier this year, is currently in judicial custody. He moved a bail plea at the single-judge bench of Justice Suvra Ghosh. Although the hearing in the matter was concluded on August 17, Justice Ghosh kept the verdict on hold.

However, on Wednesday, Justice Ghosh announced her decision to recuse herself from the case on a serious ground.

According to her, on Tuesday, one of the counsels of the former minister came to her chamber when she was not there.

Justice Ghosh also informed that the former minister’s counsel asked her personal secretary to hand over a case-related file from her chamber.

According to her, the entire development was extremely unfortunate, and hence she had informed the matter to the Calcutta High Court’s Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty.

Thereafter, Justice Ghosh announced her decision to recuse herself from the case.

The matter is now pending before the Acting Chief Justice, who will decide which new bench it will be referred to.

Bose was arrested by the ED officials on May 11 this year. He was accused of illegally recommending the names of job seekers in the South Dum Dum Municipality.

The ED had earlier claimed in a trial court that the names of more or less 150 job seekers were in that list who were recommended by the former minister.

The probe agency also claimed that money earned through corruption was deposited into bank accounts of Bose and his family members.

Bose was questioned several times by the ED officials before he was finally arrested on May 11.

–IANS

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