Kolkata HC denies Sujoy Krishna Bhadra's bail plea, CBI moves to take him into custody

The Kolkata High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Sujoy Krishna Bhadra, a central figure in the ongoing recruitment corruption case. Bhadra, also known as Kali-ghat’s Kakoo, had filed for anticipatory bail in the CBI case, seeking protection from arrest. The rejection follows his earlier grant of bail in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case, where he was arrested in connection with the same corruption investigation. The CBI, which is separately investigating the case, had sought to take Bhadra into custody for further questioning.

Bhadra has been summoned multiple times by the CBI, but he failed to appear on five occasions, citing health issues as the reason for his absences. The CBI filed a plea with the court requesting to take Bhadra into custody for interrogation, which was supported by the fact that Bhadra had consistently evaded appearances before the agency. The Kolkata High Court, while hearing the anticipatory bail petition, questioned the validity of his plea, considering his failure to cooperate with the investigation.

In addition to his legal troubles with the CBI, Bhadra had earlier been arrested by the ED in connection with the recruitment scam. Despite his arrest, Bhadra was allowed to appear virtually in court from a hospital bed, citing medical reasons. However, his avoidance of the CBI’s summons was a key factor in the court’s decision to reject his anticipatory bail application. The court found that Bhadra's conduct did not warrant anticipatory bail and that the CBI should be allowed to take him into custody for further investigation.

The recruitment corruption case, which is being jointly investigated by the ED and CBI, involves allegations of irregularities in the recruitment process for government positions. Multiple individuals, including Bhadra, are being questioned in connection with the case, which has drawn significant attention due to its scale and impact. With the rejection of his anticipatory bail plea, Bhadra now faces the possibility of arrest and further interrogation by the CBI.