CBI to probe attack on Nisith Pramanik’s convoy in Bengal: Calcutta high court

Tuesday’s order came after the Calcutta high court bench examined a report by the West Bengal police on the attack on Union minister Nisith Pramanik

KOLKATA: The Calcutta high court on Tuesday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up the probe into the attack on the convoy of Union minister of state for home Nisith Pramanik in Cooch Behar district on February 25, lawyers who attended the hearing said.

Union MoS Nisith Pramanik and BJP Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar look at a damaged vehicle which was allegedly attacked by rival political group, in Cooch Behar (PTI)

“The division bench of Calcutta high court chief justice Prakash Shrivastava and justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj has ordered a CBI probe into the attack. The state police were investigating into the incident. On Tuesday, the court transferred the case to the CBI for an impartial probe and to unearth the larger conspiracy,” a lawyer who was at the hearing said.

Tuesday’s order came after the bench examined a report by the West Bengal police on the attack . The bench was not satisfied with the steps taken by the state police in this case.

Leader of the opposition in the state assembly Suvendu Adhikari had approached the high court to seek a CBI probe into the attack, complaining that workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) carried out the attack when the Union minister of state for home affairs was on his way to attend a political programme in north Bengal. Pramanik wasn’t hurt in the attack.

In his petition, Adhikari also complained that the state police, instead of acting against the culprits, filed cases against Bharatiya Janata Party workers and arrested about 20. The BJP also claimed that the attack was carried out on instructions of TMC’s Dinhata legislator, Udayan Guha.

BJP legislator Agnimitra Paul told reporters that soon after the attack, BJP workers were arresed. “We also want the larger conspiracy to come out and the intention behind it. Let the CBI probe into this and bring out the truth so that the people can know the truth,” Paul told reporters.

Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya declined to comment on the development. “I don’t want to comment as it is an order of the Calcutta high court,” Bhattacharya said.