In a major embarrassment for the BJP, a Kolkata court on Monday issued an arrest warrant against party leader Mukul Roy who reportedly failedto appear before it in an earlier case. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of the Bankshall Court issued an arrest warrant to be complied by August 30 and directed the officer in-charge of the Burrabazar Police Station to produce the BJP leader
before him before the said date, sources said.
Roy who had already petitioned the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the order said he was called as a witness to appear before the court. He asked “how two steps could be initiated in one go — first thepolice have sent me a notice to interrogate me and second they havegot the court to issue a warrant of arrest against me.” This was a clear case of political vendetta of Mamata Banerjee Government, he said.
According to sources a case was lodged against a public servant who was arrested with Rs 80 lakh sometime last year. During interrogation Roy’s name appeared on several occasions and hence Kolkata Police sent a notice to the BJP leader asking him to appear for interrogation on July 30.
However even as Roy petitioned the Delhi High Court, the Kolkata court said a petition thus filed could not be used to evade interrogation.