Kolkata rape-murder protests: Supreme Court dismisses plea of Bengal govt challenging bail granted to Chhatra Samaj student leader

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea by the West Bengal government challenging the bail granted to student leader, Sayan Lahiri, in relation to the protests over R G Kar Hospital rape-murder case.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra rejected the West Bengal's challenge against the Calcutta High Court order directing the release of Sayan Lahiri the alleged leader of the 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj', an organisation which led a call for protests and march towards the State secretariat in Nabanna.

The court questioned the rationale of arresting Lahiri out of hundreds of protesters.

"Why out of hundreds, you picked up only this man," the bench asked the state counsel who claimed Lahiri was among the three people who gave the call for the rally.

The counsel also said 41 police personnel were injured in the clash with protesters.

On this, the bench observed, "You say 41 policemen were injured, you mean to say this particular person injured 41 cops? Sorry, no merits, dismissed."

Lahiri was arrested on August 27 evening as the police said, he was actively playing the leading role in the rally which turned violent, causing destruction of public and private property and attacks on police officers.

Lahiri's mother Anjali had moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking quashing of FIRs against him and grant of bail. To which, the Calcutta High Court had on Friday in August 30, ordered his release from police custody by 2 pm on Saturday.

The state government moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing and setting aside the HC's order.

In its order, the High Court had said, "It cannot be said with certainty that it is only at the call of the son of the petitioner there had been such huge turn out on the public streets/roads and thoroughfares. The agitators and the protestors were out in the streets seeking justice."

Emphasising that the Supreme Court permitted the police to exercise their regulatory powers, the HC, in its order, said, it will be absolutely improper if in the guise of exercising regulatory power, indiscriminate arrests are made to create fear and terrorise the protestors by keeping them behind bars.