Kolkata, Aug 14 (IANS) The West Bengal government on Thursday approached a single-judge Bench of Calcutta High Court seeking permission to register an FIR against Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, over the latter’s participation in the ‘Nabanna Avijan (march to state secretariat)’ on August 9 that was marred by violence, on the first anniversary of the rape and murder of a woman doctor at R.G. Kar Hospital. However, the plea was shot down by the court.
The state government approached the Calcutta High Court on this count since the LoP enjoys “protection from FIRs” given to him by the Supreme Court in 2022, where the apex court said that the state administration will have to seek the court’s permission even before registering an FIR against him.
However, the state government approached the single-judge Bench of Justice Jay Sengupta on Thursday to seek permission to file an FIR against Adhikari in the matter.
As the matter came up for hearing, Adhikari’s counsel argued that since the protection had been granted by the apex court, the Calcutta High Court had no authority to hear the matter.
At the end of the hearing, Justice Sengupta’s Bench accepted the argument of LoP Adhikari’s counsel and said without fresh instruction from “an appropriate” court, his Bench would not be able to hear the matter.
The first anniversary of the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 was marred by massive violence following a scuffle between cops and protesters participating in the ‘Nabanna Avijan’.
The victim’s mother alleged that she was beaten up by the policemen after she, along with her husband and other protesters, tried to march towards Nabanna.
The victim’s mother and the BJP leaders alleged that in the police action, the sacred conch shell-bangle on her wrist, traditionally believed to be the symbolic representation of married Hindu women in Bengal, was broken.
Meanwhile, five policemen were injured in the scuffle with protesters and the Kolkata Police had on Tuesday issued summons to BJP MLA Ashok Dinda to appear before it for allegedly threatening to beat up policemen during the ‘Nabanna Avijan’ protest on August 9.
The BJP MLA has been asked to appear before the officers of New Market Police Station on August 17.
–IANS
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