The incident came to light following a 2018 shooting of a resident in Cooch Behar, purportedly under the orders of Pramanik.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has granted interim protection from arrest to Nisith Pramanik, a BJP Member of Parliament and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, in connection with an attempt-to-murder case dating back to 2018. This case involves the shooting of a Cooch Behar resident, allegedly under Pramanik’s instructions.
The matter escalated after the Calcutta High Court’s division bench adjourned Pramanik’s anticipatory bail plea without relief. Represented by Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, Pramanik approached the Supreme Court, citing fears of imminent arrest due to an arrest warrant issued last year. Patwalia highlighted the ‘volatile’ political situation in West Bengal, especially considering Pramanik’s switch from Trinamool Congress to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
During the hearing, Patwalia emphasized the need for interim protection, citing the minister’s vulnerability to embarrassment if arrested. Despite assurances from Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the West Bengal government, that no arrest would occur before the next hearing, Patwalia insisted on a formal recording of this assurance.
Sankaranarayanan pointed out the numerous cases against Pramanik, including charges of murder and rioting, suggesting that he could still face arrest in other cases. However, the Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal, acceded to Pramanik’s request, ordering that no coercive action be taken against him until the high court hears his case.
The bench also clarified that their decision should not influence the high court’s judgment, stating,
“We have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case, and the high court shall decide the case on its own merits.”
Pramanik, who joined the BJP in 2019 and won the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat, has maintained his innocence in the 2018 violence. He alleges wrongful implication in the attempt-to-murder case, citing political animosity from his time with the Trinamool Congress and subsequent shift to the BJP.
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant interim protection underscores the complexities of the case, involving high-profile political figures and sensitive allegations. The case’s outcome, now awaiting the high court’s hearing, is keenly anticipated.
Case Details:
Nisith Pramanik v. State of West Bengal | Diary No. 950 of 2024.
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