Gauhati HC rejects anticipatory bail of ACS officer Partha Pratim Barman, arrest likely

The Gauhati High Court has vacated the interim bail granted to Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer Partha Pratim Barman and rejected his anticipatory bail plea, effectively clearing the way for his arrest. The court cited conduct “unbecoming of a civil servant” while passing the decisive order.

The order was delivered by Justice Pranjal Das while hearing Anticipatory Bail Petition No. AB/2678/2025. After closely examining the case diary and materials placed on record by the investigating agency, the High Court concluded that the interim protection earlier extended to the officer could no longer be sustained.

Partha Pratim Barman had been enjoying interim bail since November 13, 2025. However, the court noted that the prosecution and the informant had placed sufficient material before it to justify the withdrawal of protection and rejection of anticipatory bail.

The case pertains to serious allegations levelled by a female informant, who accused the ACS officer of entering into a physical relationship with her on the promise that he would divorce his wife—also an ACS officer, Debasena Barman—and subsequently marry her. According to the prosecution, the alleged assurances were never fulfilled.

The court took note of the victim’s statements recorded under Section 161 CrPC before the police as well as under Section 164 CrPC before a Judicial Magistrate, observing that the conduct attributed to the petitioner, as reflected in the case diary, fell far short of the ethical and moral standards expected of a public servant.

Advocate Dipesh Kumar Agarwala, appearing for the informant, strongly opposed the bail plea and submitted that the accused had allegedly misused his position to intimidate the victim. He further alleged that multiple defamation cases were filed by the officer against the informant in distant jurisdictions, including Nalbari, with the intent to harass and exert pressure.

Emphasising the influence wielded by the accused officer, the informant’s counsel argued that granting him pre-arrest protection would seriously prejudice the victim and compromise the ongoing investigation.

With the High Court rejecting the anticipatory bail application and vacating all interim relief, law enforcement agencies are now legally empowered to proceed with the arrest of Partha Pratim Barman.