Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday reprimanded the West Bengal Police for the recent raids on the premises of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari. The court also criticized the Bengal Police and asked whether the police would have taken similar action against any ruling party leader in the state.
According to Bar and Bench report, Justice Amrita Sinha reprimanded the police during the hearing of Adhikari’s petition. The petition demanded action against the policemen who entered his office-cum-residence in Kolaghat on May 21. The court stayed the action against Suvendu Adhikari till June 17 and told the police, ‘The sky will not fall if you wait for a few days.’
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High court raised question on police
The court also stayed the investigation into the allegations in connection with which the raids were conducted. The High Court questioned the “speed” of the police in conducting the raids and remarked that when the model code of conduct is in force, only the flying squad can take such action. Justice Sinha asked, “I wish you had got such information about the leaders of the ruling party. Would you have shown such speed?”
The officer made this allegation in his petition
Restraining the police from taking any further action against the opposition leader, the judge relied on an earlier order of a coordinate bench which directed the state police not to take any coercive action against him without the court’s prior permission. In his petition, the officer alleged that the raid was carried out at the behest of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government to disrupt his activities during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Tags: Calcutta High Court, suvendu adhikari, west bengal
FIRST PUBLISHED : May 25, 2024, 11:27 IST