Central agency ready to probe Bengal post-poll violence: Govt to HC
A five-judge bench headed by acting chief justice Rajesh Bindal is hearing PILs pertaining to allegations of post poll violence in the state
A central agency like the CBI or NIA is ready to probe allegations of post-poll violence in West Bengal, the Centre told the Calcutta high court on Tuesday.
Additional solicitor general YJ Dastoor told the high court that the Centre was ready to assist the state goverment if the court directed a central agency to “take up investigation of some of the serious offences”.
A five-judge bench headed by acting chief justice Rajesh Bindal is hearing PILs pertaining to allegations of post poll violence in the state.
In June, the court directed the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to constitute a committee to examine all cases of alleged violence after the recent assembly elections. The report by the seven-member committee slammed the TMC-ruled state government while recommending a CBI probe.
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“The NIA or the CBI can be called upon to investigate if your Lordships preferred,” said Dastoor.
The bench, however, questioned whether it would be an appropriate time to transfer the cases when all the FIRs are with the state police.
Advocate general Kishore Dutta, appearing for the West Bengal government, said to the court, “The police acted contemporaneously. Whenever the police came to know of complaints, they had taken action. It is not that the police was completely inactive. Even without the NHRC’s reference of complaints, the police had registered FIRs,” Dutta said.
The NHRC report had stated that the spate of violence in the state shows a pernicious politico-bureaucratic-criminal nexus while alleging that there was police inaction.
Also appearing for the state government, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the NHRC report cannot be relied upon as it was prepared by an ad hoc body. He also told the court that there was gross exaggeration of the statements of the victims in Bengali and the translation made by the NHRC in English.
The court reserved its order after hearing the arguments of both sides.