In a big relief to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, the Calcutta High Court on Monday not only stayed three of the five cases against him, but also told the police that no coercive action should be taken against Adhikari without the permission of the court.
The court also asked the police to interrogate Adhikari according to his convenience.
Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed the police and the CID that no coercive action should be taken against Adhikari without the permission of the court. The court also stayed the investigation proceedings into the death of his bodyguard Subhabrata Chakraborty. Chakraborty allegedly shot himself at the Contai police station in 2018.
The death of Chakraborty took a significant turn when in July this year his wife Suparna Chakraborty lodged a complaint with the Contai police station demanding a probe into her husband's death.
Taking a strong stance against the reopening of the case, Justice Mantha said, "Why did she lodge a complaint three years after her husband's death? Was she sleeping? And why suddenly claim it to be a murder and name Adhikari? The court is worried if it becomes an arrest only to harass Adhikari."
Along with this case, the single judge bench also stayed the investigation related to the political clash in Nandigram and a gold chain snatching case in Panskura, both in East Midnapore district.
However, the court allowed the cases pertaining to the threat to a Superintendent of Police when disaster management action was in place and another case of job scam at the Maniktala police station in Kolkata.
The court also directed the police that keeping in mind Adhikari is the Leader of the Opposition, they will have to interrogate him as per his convenience.
Meanwhile, Adhikari, who was summoned by the CID on Monday in connection with the death of his bodyguard, told the probe agency via e-mail that he would not be able to be present because of his pre-scheduled political programmes.
"This is part of the state government's plan. They are harassing Suvendu Adhikari for no reason. The court verdict is enough to prove this," state BJP President Dilip Ghosh said.
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