The Calcutta High Court has declined to grant urgent relief on a writ petition filed by the wife of an accused person, expressing apprehension over her husband's safety and seeking protection amid allegations of a possible fake encounter.

A vacation bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya directed that the matter be placed before the Regular Bench after the reopening of the Court.

The State, represented by Advocate General S.N. Mitra, informed the Court that the petitioner's husband was already in custody and that the investigation was underway.

The petitioner's apprehension arose from allegations that Roy had been threatened with a fake encounter while in police custody to compel him to confess that he had stored around ₹1.02 crore at a premises previously associated with the Trinamool Congress in Diamond Harbour.

According to the petition, Roy was recently taken to the premises, where he allegedly witnessed police officials arranging and counting bundles of currency notes. He was then allegedly made to wear a black mask and pose in front of the cash while the Additional Superintendent of Police (Zonal) addressed a press conference announcing the seizure.

The plea further alleged that criminal proceedings were initiated against Roy following the change of government in West Bengal on May 4, as part of a political vendetta targeting Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.

Seeking judicial intervention, Ghosh had sought the constitution of a Special Investigation Team comprising independent police officers, under the supervision of a retired Calcutta High Court judge, to investigate the allegations of custodial intimidation, fabrication and planting of evidence, and coercion to obtain confessional statements.

However, the Court, after recording the State's submission that Roy was already in custody and the investigation was underway, directed that the matter be placed before the Regular Bench after the reopening of the Court.

Case: Susmita Ghosh v. State of West Bengal & Ors