Trace missing undertrial: HC to correctional home

Kolkata: Dissatisfied with a report by Presidency correctional home authorities on a missing undertrial , Calcutta High Court asked them to trace the person and produce CCTV grabs. The HC told the correctional home superintendent to appear in court in person with the jail register.
Buddhadeb Bhowmick had moved the HC, alleging his father, Ranjit, had gone missing from judicial remand.Stating the jail authorities “have not proceeded according to law”, the court ordered for a report on finding Bhowmick on January 4. “It is made clear the CCTV footage of the recording of December 21 in the office of the Superintendent, Presidency Correctional Home shall be produced before court,” the HC said.
“We told the court that some unforeseen incident took place with Bhowmick and the state is trying to hide it,” said advocate Srijib Chakraborty.
According to the report, Ranjit was released on bail by the ACJM, Uluberia, on December 21. The bail bond was furnished before court, which directed his immediate release. The report says the accused was taken to Presidency correctional home to check if there was any pending case against him. Buddhadeb claimed he was told to visit Presidency jail on December 22 and when he arrived there, he was told Ranjit had been released the day before. Ranjit could not be traced. “Prima facie, it appears the Presidency Correctional Home officers have not proceeded as per jail code,” said the division bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Bibhas Ranjan De.