SC dismisses Bengal govt's plea against HC order granting protections to Adhikari's relatives

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea by the West Bengal government against a Calcutta High Court order that granted protection to relatives of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's relatives.

A bench of Justices B.R Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra heard the special leave petition filed by the West Bengal government.

In June, the HC order made it clear that Section 160 of the CrPC cannot be misused to take coercive steps against persons not connected with the alleged offence.

Section 160 of the CrPC empowers the police to require the attendance of witnesses.

The HC order directed the state police to give Sutapa Adhikari, Krishnendu Adhikari, and other relatives or acquaintances of Suvendu Adhikari a 72-hour notice before summoning them for questioning.

Following the order, the West Bengal Police have to serve a written show-cause notice before accusing any of them in the case.

Also, after serving the notice, the police cannot arrest them for a period of 10 days.

Adhikari's relatives had approached the high court against the police probe over alleged irregularities in Contai Municipality contract works. They alleged that they were being targeted by the police and state government for being related to the West Bengal leader of the opposition and BJP.