Calcutta HC gives fresh permission to ED to conduct voice sample test of Sujay Bhadra

Kolkata, Oct 19 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday gave fresh permission to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to immediately conduct a voice sample test of Sujay Krishna Bhadra, a prime accused in the multi-crore cash-for school job case in West Bengal.

This the second time that the Calcutta High Court has given permission to the central agency to conduct the voice sample test of Bhadra, who is currently at state-run SSKM Medical College & Hospital in south Kolkata for the last two months since his bypass surgery in August this year.

The court had first given permission to ED to conduct the voice-sample test of Bhadra in July, when the central agency presented at the court an audio clip where Bhadra was reportedly giving instruction to someone to erase data from his mobile number.

However, the voice sampling could not be done then as Bhadra got admitted to hospital complaining of chest ailments following which his bypass surgery was done.

ED's counsel Abhijit Bhadra said that the voice sample test has become imperative now following the High Court’s direction to wind up the investigation process in the school job case by December 31, 2023.

"So we made a fresh appeal to the Calcutta High Court to immediately conduct the voice sample test of Bhadra, which the court has granted," he added. Since the last two days ED had been enquiring from SSKM. authorities from the current health updates of Bhadra.

The central agency sleuths are also questioning the authorities of Presidency Central Correctional Home to find out the reasons that prompted them to shift Bhadra from prison hospital to SSKM. earlier this year.