Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
In an unusual development at the Calcutta High Court, Justice Shuvra Ghosh on Wednesday recused herself from hearing the bail plea of jailed Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose after alleging that one of his lawyers, accompanied by her private secretary, attempted to access case-related records from her chamber.
The judge had reserved her verdict on Bose’s bail application on August 17 after concluding hearings in the case linked to the alleged recruitment scam being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
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However, while delivering her order on Wednesday, Justice Ghosh disclosed that an incident occurred the following day when she was in the courtroom. According to the judge, one of Bose’s counsel, along with her private secretary, went to her chamber and sought access to the records of the case.
In her written order, Justice Ghosh stated that the lawyer and the private secretary asked court staff outside the chamber to bring out the case files. The request was refused by the staff members.
She further alleged that the two then attempted to enter her chamber and insisted on examining the records, but were again prevented from doing so by court personnel.
Describing the conduct as highly inappropriate, Justice Ghosh said the actions of the lawyer and the private secretary raised serious concerns.
“Such conduct of the learned counsel and the private secretary is seriously deprecated, more so, since it smells of an oblique motive on their part,” the judge observed in her order.
Citing the incident, Justice Ghosh said she no longer considered it appropriate to continue hearing the matter and decided to release the case from her bench.
“In view of such deliberate attempt made by them, this court finds it appropriate to release the matter,” she said.
The judge also informed the court that she had already reported the episode to Acting Chief Justice and sought appropriate action.
With Justice Ghosh recusing herself, Bose’s bail plea will now be placed before the Acting Chief Justice, who will assign the matter to another bench for further proceedings.
Bose, a senior TMC leader and former state minister, was arrested by the ED in connection with the alleged school recruitment scam in West Bengal. His bail plea had been under consideration after arguments from both sides concluded earlier this week.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
