Kolkata: In an unusual development, Calcutta High Court judge Suvra Ghosh on Wednesday recused herself from delivering the verdict on the bail plea of jailed former Bengal minister Sujit Bose after alleging that Bose’s lawyer and her private secretary had entered her chamber and sought access to case-related records.Justice Ghosh said she had already reported the incident to acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and released the matter, saying it “smells of an oblique motive on their part.”In her one-page order, Justice Ghosh said, “The matter was reserved for delivery of judgment on Aug 17, 2026. On Aug 18, 2026, 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.”She further said, “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, moreso, since it smells of an oblique motive on their part.”“In view of such deliberate attempt made by them, this court finds it appropriate to release the matter,” she added.The bail plea was filed by Bose in connection with the multi-crore municipalities recruitment case being investigated by the ED. Bose was arrested by the ED on May 11 and is currently in judicial custody. The agency has accused him of illegally recommending the names of job seekers for appointments in South Dum Dum Municipality. The hearing on his bail plea before Justice Ghosh concluded on Aug 17, after which the verdict was reserved. The matter will now be placed before the acting Chief Justice, who will decide which bench will hear it.The ED had earlier told a trial court that around 150 names were allegedly recommended by Bose. The agency also claimed that proceeds from the alleged corruption were deposited into bank accounts belonging to Bose and his family members. Bose was questioned several times before his arrest.(With agency inputs)
