Calcutta High Court judge stopped at toll plaza, 5 arrested

Kolkata: Five toll plaza staffers were arrested on Sunday for allegedly stopping a Calcutta High Court judges's car from entering the VIP lane in West Bengal's Howrah district, police said.

According to police, the five accused stopped Justice Biswanath Somadder's vehicle at a toll plaza of Vivekananda Bridge in Howrah's Bally area on Saturday evening.

"Five toll plaza employees have been arrested for allegedly stopping the judge from passing through the gate, meant for cars exempt from paying toll," an officer from Howrah's Nischinda police station said.

"The five staffers were appointed at the toll by a private company. All of them have been remanded to five days of police custody," he said.

According to eyewitnesses, heated words were exchanged between the staffers and the judges driver as they refused to let the vehicle through even after being informed about the designation and VIP status of the person in the car.

"Action has been taken according to law," police said.