A fresh controversy erupted after suspended Rajganj BDO Prashanta Barman, accused in the kidnapping and murder case of Salt Lake gold trader Swapan Kamaliya, was allegedly caught creating a drunken scene on a public road near New Town’s Sarchi crossing on Monday night.
Suspended BDO creates drunken roadside chaos
Locals alleged that Barman, while driving in an intoxicated condition, hit a biker, leaving him injured and bleeding on the road. Police personnel present at the spot rushed the injured biker to hospital.
Biker injured after alleged reckless driving
As locals protested against the alleged reckless driving, Barman was reportedly seen threatening people, calling them “corrupt,” and allegedly warning them of consequences. Videos of the incident, now viral on social media, also showed him stumbling on the road and asking police to arrest him.
Supreme Court surrender order allegedly ignored
The Supreme Court had earlier directed Barman to surrender in connection with the case, but he allegedly failed to comply with the order. Meanwhile, police submitted a chargesheet within 90 days of the investigation. Though Barman’s name does not appear among the chargesheeted accused, the document reportedly mentions him multiple times as an “absconding” accused.
Police detain Prashanta Barman from spot
Police later detained Barman from the spot. He has already been under scrutiny in the high-profile kidnapping and murder case linked to gold trader Swapan Kamaliya. Swapan Kamaliya’s body was recovered from a canal bank in New Town’s Jatragachhi area on October 29 last year. Police alleged he was kidnapped and murdered. The chargesheet filed before the Bidhannagar court named Tufan Thapa, Raju Dhali, Sajal Sarkar, Gobinda Sarkar and Vivekananda Sarkar under charges including murder, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy.
