Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, has been refused interim protection by the Calcutta High Court in a further set of criminal cases, after the State sought time and the Court said the issues needed detailed consideration.
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday declined to grant interim protection to Sumit Roy, who is already in custody in a number of criminal cases, on his plea seeking relief in another set of cases in which he had not yet been formally implicated [Sumit Roy v. State of West Bengal].
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya heard the matter on November 12, 2026 and directed that it be listed next Monday.
What Roy sought
Senior Advocate Ayan Bhattacharjee, appearing for Roy, pressed for interim protection in the meantime. The plea concerned cases in which Roy had not yet been tagged as an accused, separate from the cases in which he is currently in custody.
State seeks accommodation
Accommodation was sought on behalf of Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar for the State. The Court observed that the issues raised in the plea required detailed consideration and that the interim prayer could not, therefore, be granted at this stage.
Earlier proceedings
On November 10, the same judge had declined urgent relief on a plea by Roy’s wife alleging threats of a fake encounter and a coerced confession in connection with a cash seizure in Diamond Harbour, after the Advocate General told the Court that Roy was in custody and the probe was under way. Those allegations remain to be tested.
No view on the merits
The Court has only declined interim relief for now and has expressed no view on the merits of the cases against Roy. The allegations against him are untested, and he is presumed innocent until proved guilty. The plea will be taken up again next Monday.
Why the hearing matters
Roy’s cases have become a flashpoint between the Trinamool Congress and the State, and the refusal of interim protection leaves him without a shield against being implicated in further cases until the Court hears the matter in detail. How the High Court treats a request for blanket protection in cases not yet registered against an accused will be closely watched.
Case Title: Sumit Roy v. State of West Bengal
Bench: Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, Calcutta High Court
Date of Hearing: November 12, 2026
For the Petitioner: Senior Advocate Ayan Bhattacharjee
For the State: Rajdeep Majumdar, Additional Advocate General
