Calcutta HC Justice Suvra Ghosh alleges TMC leader's lawyer tried to access records from her chamber in collusion with her private secretary

Justice Suvra Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court recently recused herself from hearing the bail plea of Trinamool Congress leader Sujit Bose after alleging that one of his lawyers and the judge’s private secretary attempted to access case records from her chamber [In Re: Sujit Bose].

In an order passed on August 19, Justice Ghosh said the incident took place on August 18, a day after she had reserved her judgment on Bose’s bail plea.

According to the judge, while she was in the courtroom, one of the lawyers appearing for Bose, along with judge's private secretary, went to the judge's chamber and asked her staff to bring out the records of the case.

"The matter was reserved for delivery of judgment on August 17 2026. On August 18, when I was in the Court room, one of the learned counsels for the petitioner along with my private secretary, in collusion and connivance with each other, went to my chamber and asked my staff present outside the chamber to bring out the record of this matter, which was refused by my staff," the Court said.

The staff refused, following which the two allegedly tried to enter the chamber and insisted on seeing the records.

"They tried to enter my chamber and insisted on seeing the record which was again resisted by my staff. 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,” Justice Ghosh said.

She further stated that in view of the “deliberate attempt” to access Bose's records, she considered it appropriate to release the matter from her board.

“In view of such deliberate attempt made by them, this Court finds it appropriate to release the matter,” the order read.

The bail plea will now be placed before Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty for appropriate directions.

Bose had sought bail in connection with the multi-crore municipalities recruitment case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He was arrested by the agency on May 11 and remains in judicial custody.

The ED has alleged that Bose illegally recommended candidates for appointments to posts in the South Dum Dum Municipality as part of the alleged recruitment irregularities.

The agency had earlier alleged before the trial court that around 150 names were recommended by Bose. It also alleged that money generated through the alleged irregularities was deposited into bank accounts held by Bose and his family members.

The hearing on his bail plea before Justice Ghosh concluded on August 17, when the Court reserved its order.

[Read Order]