Kolkata, 19 August (H.S.): Calcutta High Court Justice Shampa Ghosh on Wednesday recused herself from hearing the bail plea of former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose. Bose had approached the court challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged municipal recruitment scam, terming it unlawful.

Justice Ghosh informed the court that on August 18, a lawyer representing Bose had visited her chamber in her absence and allegedly asked her personal secretary to produce a file related to the case. Describing the incident as highly unfortunate, the judge informed the Acting Chief Justice about the matter.

Following this, Justice Ghosh decided to recuse herself from the case. The matter will now be placed before the Acting Chief Justice, who will decide which judge will hear Bose's plea.

Bose's legal team, however, has claimed that none of its lawyers had visited the judge's chamber.

Bose was arrested by the ED in connection with the alleged municipal recruitment scam shortly after the results of the 2026 Assembly elections were announced. The agency has alleged that Bose recommended the appointment of more than 300 candidates in various municipalities in exchange for money. The ED has also claimed to have recovered documents supporting the allegations.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Bose, had argued before the court that his client's name did not figure in the first two charge sheets filed in the case. He submitted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had initiated the probe after registering an FIR in 2023 and argued that Bose's subsequent arrest was unlawful.

In July 2025, the ED had filed a charge sheet against Bose in connection with the recruitment scam. The charge sheet also named his son Samudra Bose, two companies associated with them and former company director Jyotishman Chattopadhyay.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh