Calcutta High Court Justice Alleges Misconduct, Recuses from TMC Leader’s Bail Case
Justice Suvra Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court has decided to recuse herself from the bail hearing of Trinamool Congress leader Sujit Bose, following allegations of misconduct involving one of Bose’s lawyers and her private secretary. The incident, which led to this decision, was detailed in an order dated August 19, 2026, and pertains to the case titled In Re: Sujit Bose.
The alleged misconduct occurred on August 18, just a day after Justice Ghosh had reserved her judgment on the bail plea. According to her order, while she was presiding over court proceedings, a lawyer representing Bose, in collaboration with her private secretary, attempted to access the case records from her chamber without authorization.
Justice Ghosh detailed the events, stating, “The matter was reserved for delivery of judgment on August 17, 2026. On August 18, when I was in the courtroom, 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.”
The situation reportedly escalated when the staff denied access, prompting the two individuals to attempt to enter the chamber and persist in their request to view the records. Justice Ghosh expressed serious concerns over their conduct, stating, “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, more so, since it smells of an oblique motive on their part.”
Given these circumstances, Justice Ghosh deemed it necessary to release the matter from her board, citing the “deliberate attempt” to access the records as the reason for her decision. Consequently, the bail plea will be reassigned, and Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty will provide further directions.
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Background of the Case
Bose is seeking bail in connection with a high-profile investigation into recruitment irregularities involving multiple municipalities, a case currently under the scrutiny of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED arrested Bose on May 11, alleging his involvement in recommending candidates for posts in the South Dum Dum Municipality. This irregularity reportedly involved financial transactions linked to bank accounts held by Bose and his family members.
The bail hearing before Justice Ghosh had concluded on August 17, with the decision initially set to be announced at a later date. However, following the recent developments, the matter will now be reconsidered by the court under new oversight.
The allegations and the subsequent recusal highlight the critical need for maintaining judicial integrity and transparency in the handling of sensitive legal proceedings.
