The Calcutta High Court has granted interim bail to former councillor and MLA Sabyasachi Dutta in an alleged extortion case, potentially allowing him to leave prison ahead of Durga Puja, which begins on October 16. Dutta had been in custody since his arrest on June 8 over allegations linked to an alleged extortion attempt dating back to 2018.
Police arrested Dutta from his residence in Rajarhat after allegations that individuals acting on his behalf had demanded Rs 1 crore from a local businessman. The case has involved both local police investigators and central agencies, with the Enforcement Directorate joining the probe over alleged illegal financial transactions.
The police filed a 1,730-page chargesheet before the Barasat court within 57 days of Dutta’s arrest. Although co-accused Bidyut Gangopadhyay was granted bail earlier, the court had initially refused to extend similar relief to Dutta. The latest High Court order changes his immediate custody position, although the report did not specify the conditions attached to the interim bail.
The investigation has also included simultaneous searches at 19 locations linked to Dutta and his associates. Investigators questioned Tina Bhowmik Saha, a Trinamool Congress member of the Nadia Zilla Parishad who is described as being close to Dutta, after searching her ancestral home in Karimpur, Nadia.
Investigators reportedly recovered nearly 3 kg of gold jewellery from the property. The jewellery was valued at approximately Rs 4.39 crore, according to the report. The Enforcement Directorate later conducted searches at premises linked to Dutta and his associates and reportedly recovered around Rs 40.5 lakh in cash, foreign currency, digital devices and records relating to suspected financial transactions.
Preliminary estimates indicated that at least Rs 14 crore had been deposited in bank accounts frozen in connection with the case. These recoveries and the financial trail form part of the wider investigation, while the allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings. The High Court’s interim bail order provides temporary relief to Dutta but does not determine the merits of the extortion or financial-transaction allegations.
Dutta’s possible release before the festival follows the court’s intervention after he remained in custody despite the filing of the chargesheet. Further proceedings in the case will continue before the relevant courts.
