Prashanta Burman, the former block development officer accused in the abduction and murder of a gold trader, did not surrender by the Calcutta High Court’s Thursday deadline and has instead challenged the order in the Supreme Court, according to Anandabazar – West Bengal. The Supreme Court is likely to hear his petition next week.
The High Court had directed Burman to surrender by 3.30 pm on Thursday, after giving him 48 hours to comply. The court had also ordered the West Bengal government to stop his salary immediately and begin preparing an inventory of his properties if he failed to surrender. The directions were issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Rabindra V. Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai.
The High Court’s order followed continuing proceedings over allegations that Burman had remained outside the reach of investigators despite an arrest warrant in the murder case. The court had questioned why the police and the Criminal Investigation Department had not been able to locate a serving government official for an extended period.
The case relates to the alleged abduction and murder of gold trader Swapan Kamilla. His body was recovered on October 29 last year from a canal-side area near Jatragachhi in New Town, after he was allegedly abducted from Dattabad in Salt Lake. Burman, who was then the BDO of Rajganj, was named as one of the principal accused.
The CID took over the investigation in July, but Burman was still reported to be untraceable. According to the report, he had earlier obtained anticipatory bail from the Barasat and Bidhannagar subdivision courts. The Bidhannagar Police challenged that protection in the High Court, which cancelled the anticipatory bail and directed him to surrender. The Supreme Court also ordered him to surrender on January 23, but he remained outside the police’s reach, the report said.
Burman was arrested on May 25 in a separate case involving an alleged traffic violation. Police reportedly detained him after his vehicle struck a pedestrian near the Eco Park police station area in New Town. He was produced before a Barasat court the following day, but was granted bail after the documents connected with the murder case did not reach the magistrate in time. The report said he was subsequently not traced again.
The High Court had previously questioned whether Burman continued to receive his government salary despite the arrest warrant and his absence. On September 10, Justice Tapobrata Chakraborty criticised the CID and the state government over the failure to locate him. The petitioner in the proceedings, Proshun, alleged that the police had been inactive and questioned the effectiveness of the administration.
The latest High Court direction requires the state to prepare the property list after the 48-hour period and proceed with attachment. The court is scheduled to examine compliance on December 14; the report said contempt proceedings could follow if the directions are found not to have been implemented. Burman’s challenge to the High Court order is now before the Supreme Court.
