New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim protection to Union Minister of State for Home and BJP MP Nisith Pramanik against any coercive action in connection with a 2018 attempt to murder case lodged in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar.

A bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal directed the state police to not arrest Pramanik till his anticipatory bail application is heard by the circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court.

It said that Pramanik’s plea be listed by the high court on January 22 and be heard and disposed of on the same day.

In its order, the apex court clarified that it has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case and the high court should decide the case on its own merits.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the West Bengal government returnable on January 12 after Pramanik’s counsel submitted that there exists an apprehension of arrest as a warrant has been issued against him on March 5, 2023 in the case.

The special leave petition, filed through advocate Siddhesh Shirish Kotwal, stated that the anticipatory bail application filed before the High Court was simply adjourned three times and no interim order was passed in Pramanik’s favour.

Further, it said that no evidence has been found to connect the petitioner with the alleged crime and despite this, he has been wrongly charge-sheeted in connection with case registered under Sections 341,326,307,120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) read with Section 25(1A), 27, 35 of the Arms Act, 1959.