Abhishek Banerjee’s aide Sumit Roy moves HC for anticipatory bail after arrest warrant

A close aide of Abhishek Banerjee, Sumit Roy, has approached the Calcutta High Court seeking anticipatory bail after a Medinipur court issued an arrest warrant against him in connection with alleged land corruption and extortion cases. The bail application was filed by advocate Sabyasachi Bandyopadhyay. During proceedings before Justice Joy Sengupta, a request for an urgent hearing was made, but the court declined to grant immediate consideration.

The arrest warrant was issued after Medinipur district police sought legal permission to secure Roy’s presence during the ongoing investigation. According to police, Roy has remained untraceable since officers launched search operations on Saturday. Following the court order, his legal team moved the Calcutta High Court seeking anticipatory bail and protection from arrest.

Roy is facing allegations related to a land corruption case in Shalboni and claims of extortion linked to the promise of election nominations ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Former Trinamool MLA Sujay Hazra, who is currently in jail, accused Roy of collecting money by allegedly assuring individuals of election tickets. Police have been investigating these allegations and attempting to trace his whereabouts.

Investigators reportedly tracked Roy’s last mobile tower location to Abhishek Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat, Kolkata. Acting on that information, police conducted a search operation at the residence on Saturday but did not locate him. Justice Joy Sengupta directed that the anticipatory bail application be formally filed but did not allow an urgent hearing, leaving the arrest warrant in force while legal proceedings continue.