High Court orders former BDO Prasanta Barman to surrender within 48 hours in gold trader murder case

Court Order

Former Rajganj block development officer Prasanta Barman has been ordered to surrender within forty-eight hours by the Calcutta High Court in connection with the murder of a gold trader. The division bench led by Chief Justice Rabindra V. Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai set the deadline for 3:30 PM on October 8. If Barman fails to surrender within this timeframe, the court directed that his salary be stopped and all his property be seized. The CID has been asked to submit an investigation progress report before the next hearing scheduled for December 14.

Background

The case stems from the abduction and killing of gold trader Swapan Kamilya last year. Kamilya, a resident of Mohanpur in Medinipur, was found dead with injuries near a canal in Jatragachhi, New Town, on October 30, 2025. His body was recovered on a Thursday after he was allegedly abducted the previous Tuesday. An eyewitness and shop owner previously claimed to ABP Ananda that a BDO arrived in a siren-equipped blue-beacon car, abducted both of them in separate vehicles, and took Kamilya into a New Town multi-storied building while releasing the shop owner outside.

Context

Prasanta Barman has consistently denied involvement, claiming he was falsely implicated in the crime. Several of his close associates have already been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation led by the CID. Courts in India routinely issue strict surrender and property attachment orders when accused public officials evade law enforcement for extended periods.

What Happens Next

Investigators from the CID will present their latest progress report to the court ahead of the December 14 hearing, while law enforcement waits to see if the former BDO complies with the surrender order before the court's strict deadline.