The Calcutta HC has turned down an appeal for passing a fresh interim order directing continuation of the enquiry by CBI on police firing at Nandigram.
The Calcutta HC turned down a PIL into the firing incident
KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Monday turned down an appeal for passing a fresh interim order directing continuation of the enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the police firing at Nandigram on March 14, 2007.
During the hearing, advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay, who originally filed the PIL, made a verbal submission, appealing an order directing continuation of CBI enquiry at Nandigram.
He argued that confidence was restored among the people of Nandigram only after CBI started its investigation there and hence there is a necessity for continuation of the enquiry process by the agency.
The division bench, comprising Justice SS Nijjar and Justice PC Ghosh, however, turned down the verbal appeal and refused to pass any fresh interim order.
Bandopadhyay’s verbal appeal for a copy of the CBI’s preliminary order being made available to all parties concerned with the PIL was also turned down and the division bench decided to keep the report in its exclusive custody for the time being. The CBI had submitted its preliminary report to the division bench on March 22, 2007.
On Monday, the state advocate general, Balai Roy, filed an affidavit on behalf of the West Bengal government, justifying the reasons and circumstances that lead to police firing.
According to the affidavit, 37 rounds were fired and the government justified it saying the police were attacked by an armed mob, which included Naxalites, while trying to enter Sonachura and Gokulnagar villages. The stand-off led to the death of 15 villagers in the firing and injured around 200 that led the CBI inquiry. The state government added that it had ordered an executive inquiry to be completed in 45 days and promised stringent action against those found guilty.
The affidavit said the crowd in both places were armed with lathis, swords, sticks, spearheads, bhojalis (sharp weapon) while some others, behind the mob, were seen with fire arms.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}