A court in Kolkata has issued an arrest warrant against Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mukul Roy in connection with a cash recovery case, Anandabazar Patrika reported on Tuesday. The court directed the officer in charge of Burrabazar police station to arrest Roy by August 29, and said it will hear the case next on the same date.

Roy was scheduled to approach the Delhi High Court on Tuesday to seek protection from arrest.

On July 31, 2018, the police seized Rs 80 lakh from Kalyan Ray Barman, a resident of Shibpur in Howrah district, said Special Public Prosecutor Tarun Chattopadhyay. He added that a case was registered against Barman at Burrabazar police station after he failed to explain why he was carrying Rs 80 lakh. According to the police, Roy’s name emerged during Barman’s interrogation.

Advertisement

An unidentified official said Roy, who had been summoned for questioning in the case, never appeared. Four people have been arrested in the case.

The police said they had sent multiple notices to Roy, who insisted that they should question him in Delhi, IANS reported. The court in Kolkata issued summons against the BJP leader, who challenged the order in the Delhi High Court.

On July 8, summons were sent again to the BJP leader, saying that he would be interrogated in his Delhi residence on July 19. However, Roy requested a postponement to Tuesday morning. The Kolkata court then issued an arrest warrant against Roy, ordering him to appear in court even though he had challenged the summons.

Roy’s lawyer Subhasish Dasgupta said that the warrant was issued even though their petition in the Delhi High Court was pending. Meanwhile, Roy has alleged that this was a “politically motivated” move. “[West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata] Banerjee has targeted me and [Barrackpore BJP MP] Arjun [Singh], as she knows that if we are removed [arrested], the organisational activities of the BJP in [West] Bengal can be affected,” PTI quoted him as saying.