CID arrests Abhishek Banerjee's aide after Supreme Court rejects anticipatory bail plea in land case

PTI, September 10, 2026, Kolkata: The West Bengal CID on Thursday arrested TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's aide Sumit Roy from a building in south Kolkata's Kalighat area, soon after the Supreme Court refused his anticipatory bail plea in a case involving alleged illegal sale of government land in Salboni.

Roy was taken into custody from 121 Kalighat Road, described by state authorities as a Trinamool Congress office-cum-residence of Banerjee.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who also holds the Home portfolio, announced the arrest in the state Assembly, describing Roy as a "well-known extortionist".

CID officials first took Roy to the state-run SSKM Hospital for a medical examination and later brought him to the CID headquarters at Bhabani Bhawan, officials said.

The arrest came shortly after the Supreme Court refused Roy's anticipatory bail plea and vacated its August 6 order staying his arrest.

The apex court had earlier directed Roy to cooperate with the investigation. The state government, however, alleged that he had not adequately assisted investigators.

The case has acquired a political edge because of Roy's association with Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary and nephew of party supremo Mamata Banerjee.

The TMC MP is currently abroad for medical treatment.

According to sources, the CID officers reached Banerjee's Kalighat residence after the apex court order, and entered the building amid an altercation with security personnel.

Roy had been summoned by the CID several times in the past in connection with the Salboni land case, after the Supreme Court's earlier order granting him protection from arrest.

During the hearing, the state government alleged that around Rs 71 lakh had been deposited into Roy's bank account in June, and that transactions totalling around Rs 15 crore passed through his account.

Investigators have questioned the source of the funds, according to the state's submissions before the court.

The case stems from allegations that government land in Salboni in West Midnapore was illegally converted and sold using forged documents.

Police had earlier arrested former TMC MLA Sujoy Hazra in connection with the case.

Investigators subsequently traced financial transactions allegedly linked to the case to Roy, following Hazra's interrogation, the sources said.

Roy had earlier approached the Calcutta High Court for anticipatory bail, but his plea was rejected, following which he moved the Supreme Court.