A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court has provided interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, to former Trinamool Congress legislator Aditi Munshi and her husband Debraj Chakraborty until June 19. The couple sought anticipatory bail fearing arrest on allegations of disproportionate assets.
During the hearing, Justice Jay Sengupta’s bench granted Munshi and her husband protection from coercive police measures until the next hearing on June 19. Former CPI-M Rajya Sabha member Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya represented the couple as their counsel.
The state government’s counsel alleged that before the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, Munshi and her husband transferred assets worth around Rs 100 crore to relatives and acquaintances. The state government raised concerns about the couple’s substantial assets and income sources, accusing them of acquiring wealth through illegal means.
Bhattacharya argued that transferring assets to others’ names is not a criminal offense and suggested that any discrepancies in election affidavits should be handled by the Income Tax Department, not the police. The court granted protection to Munshi and her husband until June 19, directing the state to provide evidence related to the charges.
