The Calcutta High Court has ordered former Rajganj block development officer Prashanta Barman to surrender within 48 hours in connection with the alleged abduction and murder of gold merchant Swapan Kamila, warning that his properties could be confiscated if he fails to comply. The court has also directed the West Bengal government to stop his salary immediately.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Rabindra V Bhatt and Justice Om Narayan Rai issued the directions on Tuesday, according to Anandabazar. The bench instructed the state to prepare an inventory of Barman’s properties once the 48-hour period expires.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned how a government officer who has allegedly remained untraceable could continue receiving a salary. The court also questioned why steps had not been taken earlier to stop his pay or identify his assets. The directions came amid continuing proceedings over Barman’s failure to surrender despite earlier orders from the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court.
Barman, who was removed from his post as the block development officer of Rajganj in Jalpaiguri district, was named as one of the accused in the alleged abduction and murder of Swapan Kamila, a gold merchant from West Midnapore. Kamila’s body was recovered from a canal-side area in Jatragachhi, near New Town, on October 29 last year after he was allegedly abducted from Dattabad in Salt Lake.
The investigation was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department in July, but Barman remained unavailable, the report said. The state had earlier told the High Court that he was missing, prompting questions about the investigation and the continued payment of his salary. Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty had previously questioned how an official reported to be untraceable could continue drawing government pay.
Barman had obtained anticipatory bail orders from the Barasat and Bidhannagar subdivisional courts. The Bidhannagar police challenged those orders before the Calcutta High Court, which cancelled the anticipatory bail and directed him to surrender. The Supreme Court also directed him to surrender on January 23, but he did not appear before the lower court, according to the report.
He was arrested on May 25 after allegedly violating road-safety rules in the New Town area. Police reportedly took him into custody after a car linked to him allegedly struck a pedestrian near the Eco Park police station. He was produced before the Barasat court the following day.
At that hearing, the judge sought the records of the earlier murder case. The magistrate reportedly waited until the evening of May 26, but the documents did not arrive. Barman was then granted bail and left for home. The report said he has not been traced since.
The latest High Court order places two immediate administrative obligations on the state: stopping Barman’s salary and preparing a list of his properties if he does not surrender within the specified period. The court’s directions are part of the ongoing proceedings concerning his failure to comply with the surrender orders.
