Kolkata, Feb 5 (IANS) Questions have been raised over the police investigation into the murder of gold merchant Swapan Kamilya after the name of former Rajganj BDO Prashant Barman, alleged to be the main accused, was not included in the charge sheet submitted to the Bidhannagar court.

Kamilya was allegedly kidnapped on October 28 last year, and his body was recovered from a canal bank in Jatragachi under the New Town police station the following day.

The charge sheet, filed after 90 days, names five accused – Tufan Thapa, Raju Dhali, Sajal Sarkar, Gobinda Sarkar, and Vivekananda Sarkar – but excludes Barman. Investigators said his name may be added to a supplementary charge sheet or a separate one later.

The victim’s family has accused Barman, who was removed from his post as BDO, of being the prime conspirator and expressed anger over the police’s failure to arrest him.

Barman had earlier obtained anticipatory bail from the Barasat and Bidhannagar sub-divisional courts, which was overturned by the Calcutta High Court on December 22 with a directive to surrender within 72 hours. He failed to comply, went into hiding, and an arrest warrant was issued against him.

On January 19, the Supreme Court also ordered him to surrender by January 23, but he remains absconding. Meanwhile, the administration has appointed a new BDO in Rajganj.

Speculation has intensified over the absence of Barman’s name in the charge sheet even as police continue their search for him.

–IANS

sch/dan