Sandeshkhali case: Supreme Court rejects Bengal govt plea against Calcutta high court order on CBI probe

Sandeshkhali case hearing: SC bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan asked, "Why should the state be interested in protecting someone?"

Updated on: Jul 8, 2024, 14:40:43 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Aniruddha Dhar

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Sandeshkhali case hearing: The Supreme Court dismissed the West Bengal government's appeal against a Calcutta high court order directing Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI enquiry into allegations of land-grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali.

A bomb squad team of the National Security Guard arrive after CBI recovered weapons in a case related to the violence against ED officials at Agarhati village in Sandeshkhali. (ANI file)

"Why should the state be interested in protecting someone?" a bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan observed, adding that on the last date of hearing, the counsel appearing for the West Bengal government said the matter be adjourned after the apex court asked this specific query.

"Thank you. Dismissed," the bench said.

The top court was hearing the state government's plea challenging the Calcutta high court's April 10 order.

While hearing the plea on April 29, the Supreme Court asked the West Bengal government as to why the state should come in as a petitioner for “protecting the interest” of some private individuals.

In its plea before the apex court, the state government said the Calcutta high court's order demoralised the entire state machinery, including the police force.

The CBI is already investigating the case of attack on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali and has registered three FIRs related to incidents on January 5.

Noting that the investigation will be monitored by the court, the Calcutta high court directed the CBI to file a comprehensive report on the alleged illegal conversion of agricultural land into water bodies for pisciculture after conducting a thorough inspection of revenue records and physical inspection of land alleged to have been converted.

The high court also directed the CBI to investigate allegations of crimes against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali and submit a comprehensive report to it on the next date of hearing.

What's the Sandeshkhali case?

Sandeshkhali, a village in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, had been in a political storm after villagers, mostly women, came out on the streets against the ruling Trinamool Congress and its strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, accusing him and his aides of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion. He was later arrested. Both Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress have been levelling charges against each other over Sandeshkhali.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke on the matter of the reported beating of a couple in public by a group of people allegedly associated with a political party in West Bengal's Uttar Dinajpur.

(With inputs from PTI)

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