Bengal: Arrest warrant issued against Raiganj BDO in murder case

Kolkata, Dec 26 Bidhannagar City Police on Friday issued an arrest warrant against Raiganj Block Development Officer (BDO) Prashant Barman, who is accused in the murder of gold trader Swapan Kamilya in the Dattabad area of Salt Lake.

The arrest warrant was issued following a development in which a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on December 22, rejected Barman’s anticipatory bail plea and directed him to surrender before the Bidhannagar Court within 72 hours.

As the 72-hour deadline for him to surrender before the Bidhannagar Court expired on Thursday, the arrest warrant was issued against him, a senior official of the Bidhannagar City Police confirmed.

On Friday, Bidhannagar City Police also approached the Bidhannagar Court seeking enforcement of the arrest warrant, which the court approved.

Kamilya was abducted on October 28 from a gold shop in Dattabad in a car fitted with a blue beacon, allegedly linked to government use.

His body was later recovered from Jatragachi in New Town.

Police registered a case of kidnapping and murder, and the victim’s family accused Barman of masterminding the crime.

Investigators have arrested several associates of the BDO and seized the government vehicle allegedly used to dispose of the body.

Barman has denied the allegations and had secured anticipatory bail from the Barasat Court last month, which was later formalised by the Bidhannagar Sub-divisional Court. However, on December 22, a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, headed by Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, rejected his anticipatory bail plea.

Meanwhile, on December 24, Barman approached the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court’s order.

During the December 22 hearing, the Calcutta High Court strongly criticised the lower court’s order granting anticipatory bail. The court observed that the Barasat Court had failed to consider essential parameters required while granting bail or anticipatory bail in a murder case.

The High Court further noted that the lower court had granted bail while ignoring serious and crucial evidence on record.

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