Calcutta High Court Controversy: Lawyer Allegedly Attempts to Access Judge’s Chamber
A recent controversy has emerged in the Calcutta High Court following allegations by Justice Suvra Ghosh that a lawyer representing a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader attempted to improperly access case records from her chamber. The lawyer in question, Mousumi Bhowal, has formally requested an investigation by the Chief Justice of the High Court to clarify the situation and maintain her professional reputation.
Background of the Case
Mousumi Bhowal, acting as the advocate-on-record for TMC leader Sujit Bose, is involved in a legal battle concerning a bail plea related to a municipal recruitment scam under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate. Justice Ghosh had reserved her decision on Bose’s bail application on August 17. However, on August 19, she recused herself from the case, citing attempts by Bhowal and the judge’s private secretary to access restricted case records on August 18 while she was in the courtroom.
Events Leading to Recusal
Justice Ghosh alleged that on August 18, a lawyer representing Bose and her private secretary tried to enter her chamber and insisted on viewing the case records, actions she described as a “deliberate attempt” to breach confidentiality. Consequently, she decided to remove the case from her docket. Although Justice Ghosh did not explicitly name any lawyer in her statement, Bhowal has provided a sworn affidavit giving her side of the story.
Bhowal’s Account and Affidavit
Bhowal’s affidavit details that she was informed by Advocate Nahid Ahmed, a junior to Senior Advocate Sabyasachi Banerjee, that the court officer in courtroom No. 15 had requested her presence to collect judgment copies. The court officer in question, Shikha Mukherjee, who is also Justice Ghosh’s personal secretary, allegedly accompanied Bhowal to Justice Ghosh’s chambers in the Sesquicentenary Building to identify the required judgments.
According to Bhowal, Mukherjee asked the court staff to produce the case record, but they refused, stating the file was with Justice Ghosh. Bhowal asserts that she did not speak or attempt to enter the judge’s chamber forcibly. She claims to have left immediately upon the staff’s refusal.
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Request for Inquiry and Preservation of Evidence
In her communication to the Chief Justice, Bhowal has emphasized the need for an inquiry to demonstrate her innocence and has requested the preservation of CCTV footage from the front room of Justice Ghosh’s chamber. She argues that the matter was unexpectedly listed as “To Be Mentioned” before Justice Ghosh on August 19, where comments were made that could potentially harm her career.
Bhowal insists in her affidavit, “I have never connived with the learned Court Officer to bring out the record of the case with an oblique motive. I have never tried to enter the chamber of Her Ladyship the Hon’ble Justice Suvra Ghosh on 18.08.2026.” She has also attached screenshots of WhatsApp exchanges with Ahmed and call logs to substantiate her version of events.
This incident highlights the intricate dynamics within the legal system and underscores the importance of transparency and integrity in judicial proceedings. The legal community keenly awaits the outcome of any inquiries that might ensue.
