New Delhi: The Supreme Court granted protection Tuesday from arrest in all cases registered against former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, who had recently joined the BJP.
A bench headed by Justice AK Sikri said no coercive action should be taken against her and posted the matter for further hearing after three weeks.
Ghosh, once considered close to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had moved the apex court seeking protection from arrest, saying the West Bengal government has registered 10 FIRs against her.
She said that apex court had already granted protection from arrest in seven cases but the state has registered three more FIRs against her.
The West Bengal government opposed the plea of Ghosh and said there are clear evidences against her and submitted a transcript of a purported conversation between Ghosh and her personal security officer.
The apex court had on October 1, last year granted her protection from arrest in a case of alleged extortion and illegal exchange of banned notes for gold.
However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government had opposed the plea and said she wants stay of arrest on a writ petition, which cannot be done. He had said Ghosh and her personal security officer (PSO) were allegedly involved in the gold extortion case and other cases and they both acted together.
Ghosh had joined the BJP, February 4. She had then alleged that ‘thugocracy’ has replaced democracy in West Bengal.
Ghosh, who was the West Midnapore Superintendent of Police for more than six years, was transferred as commandant of the third battalion of the state armed police on December 26, 2017. She resigned from service two days later. She had been awarded a service medal, August 15, 2014.
An arrest warrant was issued against Ghosh in February, 2018 in connection with an extortion case registered at Daspur police station in West Midnapore district, following her resignation.
PTI