Sujit Bose bail case
The bail case involving former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose has taken a fresh and unexpected turn at the Calcutta High Court. Justice Suvra Ghosh has recused herself from the matter after the hearing had already concluded and the judgment had been reserved. The development followed an alleged attempt to access the case record from the judge’s chamber.
The bail petition filed by Sujit Bose was being heard by a single bench headed by Justice Suvra Ghosh. The hearing concluded on August 17, 2026, following detailed arguments from both sides. The judge subsequently reserved her judgment, meaning the next step was expected to be the pronouncement of the order on the bail application.
However, events on August 18 changed the course of the case. According to the order recorded by the judge, while Justice Ghosh was in court, one of the lawyers appearing for Bose allegedly went to her chamber along with the judge’s private secretary.
The lawyer allegedly asked the staff outside the chamber to bring out the record of the case. The staff refused to hand over the documents. The order further records allegations that the lawyer and the private secretary then attempted to enter the chamber and insisted on accessing the case record.
Justice Ghosh took serious exception to the incident. In her August 19 order, she strongly deprecated the conduct and observed that the alleged action appeared to carry an “oblique motive”. She subsequently informed the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court about the incident.
Following this, Justice Ghosh decided that it would be appropriate to release the matter from her consideration. The bail plea will now have to be placed before another bench in accordance with the High Court’s roster and administrative directions.
The order does not decide the merits of Sujit Bose’s bail application. It only records the circumstances that led the judge to recuse herself from the case.
Sujit Bose is currently in judicial custody in connection with an alleged municipal recruitment scam. The Enforcement Directorate arrested him on May 11, 2026. The agency has alleged that around 150 candidates were recommended for municipal appointments and has also raised allegations of financial transactions linked to the recruitment process. These are allegations made by the investigating agency and have not been established as guilt by a court.
During the August 17 hearing, Bose’s counsel argued that the investigation into the municipal recruitment case had substantially progressed and that continued incarceration was no longer justified. The Enforcement Directorate opposed the bail plea.
With Justice Ghosh now recusing herself, the case enters a new legal phase. The immediate question is when the bail application will be assigned to a fresh bench and whether arguments will have to be repeated before the new court.
The development has also brought renewed attention to the importance of maintaining strict procedures governing access to judicial records, particularly after a case has been reserved for judgment.
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