The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the arrest of Sumit Roy, Personal Assistant of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, in the Salboni land-grabbing case.
The Court however directed him to appear for interrogation and cooperate with the investigation. “The petitioner to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation. He should not be accompanied by any advocate or any other person. He shall remain available for any investigation from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with the usual breaks. However, his arrest will remain stayed,” the Court ordered.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana passed the interim order while considering Roy’s petition challenging the Calcutta High Court’s August 3 order rejecting his plea for anticipatory bail.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioner, informed the bench that the High Court had granted him anticipatory bail in another case, related to the cash-for-jobs scam. He submitted that the FIR was registered soon after the new Government came to power in the State after recent assembly elections, hinting that the case was politically motivated.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing for the State of West Bengal, submitted that the crime was committed many years ago, and the previous dispensation did not take any action.
Sankaranarayanan undertook that the petitioner would cooperate with the investigation, and requested a stay of arrest. The Solicitor General however, vehemently opposed the grant of interim relief, saying, “Allow me to say something, I will place it on affidavit on instructions. Once we went to arrest them and the honorable earlier Chief Minister intervened again. She always intervenes whenever a law enforcement agency is… I just want to place it on record. We need custodial interrogation. Whenever any person is accused of a serious crime the law enforcement agency either of the centre or state goes, the earlier Chief Minister interrupts and obstructs the law enforcement agencies. As the highest court of the country your lordships will have to examine.”
Sankaranarayanan retorted that political statements were being made.
Case : SUMIT ROY Vs STATE OF WEST BENGAL | Diary No. 46817/2026
