Petition filed in Calcutta HC over central fact-finding team being prevented from reaching Sandeshkhali

Kolkata: West Bengal BJP leader and Calcutta High Court counsel, Tarunjyoti Tewari on Tuesday filed a petition in the same court over members of a central fact-finding team being prevented by the police from reaching Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas District.

Sandeshkhali has been on the boil for quite some time over allegations of sexual harassment and violence against women of the area by a section of the local Trinamool Congress leaders and their associates.

In the petition, Tarunjyoti Tewari also pointed out that members of the central fact-finding team, including former Chief Justice of Patna High Court, Justice L. Narasimha Reddy (Retired), were arrested unlawfully by the state police while on the way to Sandeshkhali.

“Police are allowing a minister and leaders of the ruling party to move around freely in Sandeshkhali. But others are being stopped,” Tarunjyoti Tewari argued.

The single-judge Bench of Justice Kausik Chanda admitted the petition, however, Justice Chanda observed, “Probably, you will also do the same if you come to power.”

Last Saturday the six-member fact-finding team arrived at Kolkata with the aim of going to Sandeshkhali. However, on Sunday morning, as they were about to start for Sandeshkhali, they received a letter from Kolkata Police asking them not to go amid the prohibitory orders imposed there under Section 144.

Finally, to avoid the provisions of Section 144, it was decided only two of the six members would visit Sandeshkhali. However, they were also stopped by the police at Bhojerhat around 52 kms away from Sandeshkhali and were arrested.