Accused in the murder of a gold merchant—despite facing a plethora of allegations, he had remained a fugitive in the eyes of the police for a long time. About seven months ago, the Supreme Court had ordered him to surrender. Yet, the ousted BDO, Prashanta Barman, continued to remain in hiding even after that directive. He was eventually arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and striking a pedestrian. However, he managed to secure bail from the Barasat Court overnight. Now, the State Minister for Rural Development, Dilip Ghosh, has publicly expressed his extreme displeasure regarding the conduct of a section of the police force in connection with this incident. He has also made the explosive claim that there exists a secret collusion—or "setting"—between the accused and certain elements within the police force.
The Minister stated in no uncertain terms that the police's old habits have not yet completely changed. Expressing his indignation, he remarked, "I, too, have asked the police: 'Why aren't you arresting these people?' The police claim they cannot locate them! Yet, it turns out that in the evening, these very individuals are seen sitting and having tea together with the police."
It is alleged that Prashanta Barman, while driving under the influence of alcohol on the streets of Newtown, struck a pedestrian and then attempted to flee the scene without stopping his vehicle. At that moment, an eyewitness—identified as Shamim Ahmed—apprehended him red-handed. It was Shamim Ahmed who exposed Prashanta's misdeeds by broadcasting the incident via Facebook Live. Subsequently, the police arrested him. However, given that the "influential" Prashanta was released overnight, is Shamim Ahmed's personal safety now at risk? How secure will this individual truly remain?
Nevertheless, Dilip Ghosh categorically asserted, "The days when the accused could simply get released and commit murder are long gone. Law and order in the state have not collapsed; everyone remains safe and secure." At the same time, striking a cautionary note and drawing a parallel to the R.G. Kar Hospital incident, Dilip Ghosh warned, "If the R.G. Kar case file can be reopened, then everything else, too, can be started afresh."