Kolkata, 19 September (H.S.) : Sumit Roy, the personal assistant to Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, is being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court in Medinipur on Saturday following the conclusion of his eight-day police custody in connection with the Salboni land scam case. Three other co-accused in the case—Amit Ghosh, Nitya Roy, and Lakshmikant Bhuiya—are also being presented before the court amid a heavy security deployment.

It remains to be seen whether the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will seek an extension of Roy's custody. A team of CID officials from Kolkata has already left for Medinipur to attend the proceedings. Earlier on Thursday, the court rejected a petition filed by Roy's wife seeking permission to meet him.

Roy was apprehended by the CID from Banerjee’s Kalighat residence shortly after the Supreme Court revoked his legal protection and dismissed his anticipatory bail plea. Banerjee was abroad for medical treatment at the time of the arrest. Investigating officials alleged that Roy had been non-cooperative during the probe, repeatedly evading crucial questions during interrogations, which ultimately led the apex court to cancel his protection from coercive action.

The CID has already submitted a 14-page initial charge sheet in the Salboni land scam, naming four individuals, including former TMC MLA Sujoy Hazra, who was arrested earlier. While Roy’s name does not appear in the primary charge sheet, the investigative agency has informed the court that his extensive interrogation is necessary. The CID plans to file a supplementary charge sheet formally adding Roy's name to the list of accused.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh