"Police lack faith in court": HC grants protection from arrest to Atin Ghosh, slams 'quick-action' by police

Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA and former Kolkata Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh received significant interim relief from the Calcutta High Court on Monday. Hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by Ghosh regarding an alleged land corruption case, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh explicitly directed that no coercive action or arrest should be taken against the petitioner while the matter remains pending before the court. The order comes after the police at Bidhannagar North station issued summons to Ghosh and his daughter, Priyadarshini Ghosh, prompting them to seek judicial protection.

Though the scheduled hearing was deferred due to procedural reasons, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh voiced sharp concern over the state police's conduct in handling court protections. The judge observed that in numerous cases, law enforcement agencies make hasty arrests within a single day of an interim protection period expiring. Questioning the rationale behind such hurried actions, Justice Ghosh remarked whether the police force lacked trust in judicial proceedings, emphasizing that law enforcement must refrain from taking hasty steps when a case is actively under consideration.

Responding to the court's stern observations, the counsel representing the State, Kallol Mondal, assured the bench that police authorities would be instructed not to take any harsh measures while interim matters remain pending. Advocate Ayan Bhattacharya, appearing for Atin Ghosh, reiterated concerns regarding undue police pressure ahead of formal judicial decisions. The High Court's directive ensures that Ghosh remains protected from arrest as the legal proceedings continue.