In a recent development at the Calcutta High Court, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay raised questions regarding the West Bengal Crime Investigation Department’s (CID) actions in summoning Pratap Chandra Dey, the husband of fellow judge Justice Amrita Sinha. This inquiry was brought up during a hearing of an unrelated case, where Justice Gangopadhyay questioned the Advocate General Kishore Dutta about the necessity and intensity of the CID’s investigation.
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The case in question, involving a 64-year-old woman and her daughter, alleges interference in a criminal probe related to ancestral property disputes. The Supreme Court had previously directed the CID to continue its investigation without succumbing to any pressure and ordered the West Bengal government to submit a status report on the probe.
Pratap Chandra Dey, an advocate by profession and Justice Sinha’s husband, has been summoned by the CID twice this month and was subjected to a nine-hour interrogation. The CID also requested him to surrender his mobile phone. Justice Sinha is currently overseeing cases related to the West Bengal school jobs scam, which involve high-profile political figures, including Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
Justice Gangopadhyay, during the hearing, expressed his concerns about the CID’s heightened activity in this particular case compared to others, asking,
“Is it such an important case? CID is not doing proper investigation in many important cases.”
He further advised the Advocate General to focus on various problems plaguing the state, highlighting the significant powers at his disposal.
The allegations against Dey suggest that he misused his position as the spouse of a sitting High Court judge to influence the investigation of the criminal cases. The CID claims that Dey represented the opposing side in the ancestral property disputes. The Supreme Court, in response to these allegations, directed the CID to investigate the matter thoroughly and impartially.
In a statement, the CID clarified its stance, stating that Dey was summoned for his alleged undue influence on the police in a property dispute case. They emphasized that their investigation was being conducted in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order, and any allegations against their actions were intended to malign the reputation of the officers and question the ongoing investigation.
Dey, on his part, has reported feeling harassed by the CID, claiming he was treated like a criminal and interrogated about his wife and her personal details. He has reached out to various authorities, including President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Kolkata Bar Association, alleging that the CID’s actions were a result of his wife’s involvement in corruption cases. He claimed that the CID officials pressured him to testify against his wife and resorted to threats and offers of bribes when he refused.
This situation has sparked a debate about the CID’s methods and intentions, raising questions about the influence of judicial connections in ongoing investigations and the treatment of individuals associated with members of the judiciary.