The Supreme Court has postponed the bail hearing of former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose in the municipal recruitment corruption case and directed that notice be issued to the Enforcement Directorate, according to a report by Anandabazar. The matter will now be heard on 16 November, leaving Bose in custody for the time being.
Bose had approached the Supreme Court after the Calcutta High Court rejected his bail plea. The High Court had held that bail could not be granted at the current stage of the investigation, according to the report. The Supreme Court proceedings relate to Bose’s challenge against that decision.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Prasanna B. Varale took up the petition on Tuesday but did not hear the bail application. The bench scheduled the next hearing for 16 November and asked the Enforcement Directorate to respond to Bose’s plea.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Bose on 11 May in connection with the investigation into alleged irregularities in municipal recruitment. The agency has alleged that names of candidates who were illegally appointed were recommended in South Dum Dum Municipality. The report does not establish the allegations as proven, and the court proceedings remain ongoing.
Bose had initially sought bail before the Calcutta High Court. The matter was first listed before Justice Shubhra Ghosh, who reserved the order after hearing the application on 17 August. Following her recusal from the case, the bail petition was placed before another bench, which rejected the request, according to Anandabazar.
The former minister then moved the Supreme Court against the High Court’s decision. His petition was filed on 15 October, following the rejection of his bail application. The latest adjournment means that the Supreme Court will consider the challenge after receiving the Enforcement Directorate’s response.
The case is part of a wider investigation into alleged corruption in municipal recruitment in West Bengal. Its significance for urban governance lies in the fact that municipal bodies are responsible for essential local services and depend on recruitment systems to staff administrative and operational functions. Allegations of irregular appointments therefore concern not only the individuals under investigation but also the integrity of local government administration.
The next scheduled hearing in Bose’s bail case is 16 November, when the Supreme Court is expected to consider the petition after notice to the Enforcement Directorate.
