Ram Navami violence: Bengal govt approaches Calcutta High Court against NIA probe

The state government petition had been earlier dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The West Bengal government on Friday again approached the Calcutta High Court’s single judge bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharya seeking a stay on the NIA probe in violence incidents of Ram Navami processions this year.

The move of the state government just 48 hours after NIA has moved Calcutta High Court’s single judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta accusing the West Bengal police administration of non-cooperation in the matter especially as regards to handing over the case related documents to the central agency.

The order for NIA probe in the matter was given by the division bench of Calcutta High Court’s Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya.

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However, the state government challenged that order at the Supreme Court on grounds that the NIA probe was ordered based on public interest litigation, which according to the state government, was unjustified.

The state government petition was dismissed by the apex court three judge bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra.

On April 27 this year, while ordering the NIA probe in the matter, Calcutta High Court’s division bench observed that it is beyond the ability of the state police to find those who were responsible for the clashes or who instigated it and hence asked the for a probe by the central agency.

Earlier, the same division bench also questioned the efficiency of the intelligence wing of the state police regarding pelting of stones from the roofs of residences in the troubled belts.

The bench questioned the failure of the intelligence in getting information about stones being accumulated on the rooftops.