Calcutta High Court Defers TMC Leader Sujit Bose’s Bail Plea in ED Case Till July 14
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose’s bail plea in an Enforcement Directorate (ED) case until July 14. The matter, listed before Justice Jay Sengupta, could not be taken up on merits as court proceedings were disrupted following a resolution passed by the High Court Bar Association condoling the death of an advocate.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared on behalf of Bose, while the ED opposed the bail plea in the ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the alleged West Bengal municipal recruitment scam. Since the case was not substantively heard, the court deferred further consideration to the next scheduled date without expressing any opinion on the merits of the rival submissions.
Sujit Bose was arrested by the ED in May 2026 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The central agency alleges that he played a role in facilitating illegal appointments in the South Dum Dum Municipality and was connected to the laundering of proceeds generated from the alleged recruitment scam. Bose has denied the allegations and contends that his arrest and continued custody are legally unsustainable.
The municipal recruitment scam concerns allegations that appointments in several West Bengal municipalities were secured through illegal recommendations and financial inducements instead of a transparent recruitment process. The ED’s investigation stems from predicate offences registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), with the agency tracing the alleged proceeds of crime and examining the financial trail of those accused.
Bose has pursued multiple legal remedies before the Calcutta High Court in recent months, including petitions challenging ED summons, his arrest, and his continued detention. While the High Court has previously directed the ED to place investigation reports on record, it has not granted him substantive relief in the money laundering proceedings so far.
The bail hearing scheduled for July 14 is expected to determine whether Bose should be released pending trial or remain in judicial custody as the ED continues its investigation. The outcome will be closely watched, given the broader political and legal implications of the municipal recruitment scam, which has led to the arrest and prosecution of several public officials and political leaders in West Bengal.
