Calcutta HC dismisses PIL by BJP on Sandeshkhali attack

Kolkata: A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday dismissed a PIL filed by West Bengal unit of BJP on January 5 attack on the ED and CAPF officials at the residence of a local Trinamool Congress leader in Sandeshkhali.

Dismissing the PIL, the division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Supratim Bhattacharya observed that the PIL was filed just on the basis of media reports. Since the PIL lacked any background research on the event it was not admissible.

The division bench also observed that the central security and investigation agencies have enough authority and knowledge on how to deal with such events.

The PIL was filed on January 8 and the first hearing in the matter happened on Thursday, where the division bench dismissed it.

The observation of the division bench regarding rejection of the PIL comes at a time when ED has already filed two separate petitions at the two single- judge benches of Calcutta High Court challenging the FIR filed by state police against the ED officials who were attacked and injured on that day.

One of the two benches had already given a verbal order on Thursday directing the state police not to initiate any action against the ED officials in the matter till January 15. Hearing at the other single- judge bench is scheduled later in the day.