The Calcutta High Court on Monday granted police protection to 303 victims of the West Bengal post-poll violence that ensued following the victory of the TMC party in the assembly elections in May 2021, a report published by Live Law said. The decision was made after the petitioner informed the court that the victim will face serious difficulties because they are constantly threatened by local TMC goons and police authorities are refusing to take action.
A Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajrashi Bharadwaj took on record a detailed affidavit filed by petitioner Priyanka Tibrewal, who appeared in person, in which the names and contact information of 303 alleged victims of post-poll violence were enumerated.
The petitioner also informed the Bench that if police protection is not provided to these victims, they will face serious difficulties because they are constantly threatened by local goons and police authorities are refusing to take any action.
The Court was also informed that 47 of the 303 alleged victims were unable to return to their workplace, 92 were victims whose houses had been demolished, and 164 were victims who had been forcibly evicted from their homes and were thus unable to return to their places of residence.
Taking note of the complaint, the Court directed the petitioner to serve a copy of the affidavit filed on the Advocate General, as well as the DG and IG of Police, West Bengal, so that appropriate action could be taken. Furthermore, the DG and IG of Police have been directed to ensure that the 303 victims are not harassed by police or local goons.
During the hearing, the petitioner also stated that a committee comprised of two members—one from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and one from the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC)—should be formed so that the affidavit containing the names of the 303 alleged victims could be presented to the Committee to ascertain the true ground situation.
As a result, the Court granted the petitioner’s request to include the NHRC as a party in the current proceedings.
The Court also took the CBI’s fourth status report on record. Additional Solicitor General YJ Dastoor, appearing for the CBI, informed the Bench that the CBI is still investigating the 28 cases that were mentioned during the previous hearing.
Furthermore, the Court took into consideration the most recent status report filed by the SIT, which stated that 32 cases are currently pending investigation by the SIT.
The Court ordered the State government to file its response to petitioner Priyanka Tibrewal’s affidavit and set the matter for further hearing on April 19.
High Court hands over the West Bengal post-poll violence case to the CBI
The CBI has taken over the investigations on the orders of a five-judge panel of the Calcutta High Court, which on August 19, tasked the agency with a court-monitored probe into the innumerable murder and rape instances reported during West Bengal’s post-poll rioting which occurred in the aftermath of West Bengal Assembly elections in May 2021.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted to investigate other criminal cases related to post-poll violence.
Post-poll violence in WB
Umpteen number of violence against political opponents have been reported from the state. In an overwhelming number of such incidents, the victims have been BJP supporters and workers, while the accused were said to be the supporters of the TMC party. More than a dozen BJP workers have lost their lives in the post-poll violence that ensued following the victory of the TMC party in the assembly elections.