Kolkata, Oct. 12 -- The Calcutta High Court has granted bail to a French passport holder with refugee status in France, arrested in North 24 Parganas while allegedly crossing the India-Bangladesh border without valid documents, after more than six months in custody.
Justice Chaitali Chatterjee (Das) allowed Rocky Francis D'costa's bail plea, noting that the investigation was complete, a chargesheet had been filed and further custodial interrogation was unnecessary. The court also considered the absence of other criminal antecedents and his mother's prolonged medical treatment in India.
D'costa was booked under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and the Passports Act, 1967. The prosecution opposed bail, arguing that he was apprehended while crossing into Bangladesh and had failed to produce cogent documents.
His counsel submitted that D'costa, a Christian born in Bangladesh who claimed religious persecution, had refugee status in France and valid French travel and residence documents. He had stayed in India to facilitate his mother's treatment at Christian Medical College, Vellore, and Apollo Hospitals. The court recorded that documents relating to her treatment were genuine.
The court granted bail on a bond of Rs 20,000 with two sureties of like amount each, one being a local resident. He must register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office within one to two weeks of release.
The court also ordered physical verification of his address before release, verification of the sureties within three to five days, and disclosure of his income, funds and bank accounts in India. The investigating officer must inform the embassy of his country of origin about the case and bail order. A lien equivalent to the surety amount must be created over the sureties' property, with violation of bail conditions potentially leading to its realisation and cancellation of bail.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.