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Calcutta HC takes notice of BJP worker Avijit Sarkar’s murder: Read what Court said about the second autopsy, the police’s refusal and more

OpIndia Staff
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Calcutta HC takes notice of BJP worker Avijit Sarkar’s murder: Read what Court said about the second autopsy, the police’s refusal and more

Nearly three months after the brutal murder of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday finally took notice of the killing of BJP worker by ordering a second autopsy of the body after the West Bengal police and state administration refused the family the same.

In a scathing order on Thursday, the Calcutta High Court ordered a court-monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) into the heinous cases of murder, rape and crime against women and other human rights violations that happened in West Bengal in May 2021 after TMC returned to power.

Delivering the judgement after hearing a batch of petitions on the post-poll violence allegedly unleashed by the TMC workers against opposition workers, the Calcutta High Court also ordered the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government to hand over the autopsy report and other sealed cover documents of Avijit Sarkar to the CBI.

On May 2, Avijit Sarkar, a BJP worker and the vice-president of Bharatiya Mazdoor Trade Union Council was allegedly murdered by TMC workers in Kolkata’s Narkeldanga area following the announcement of the assembly poll result. After his death, the family had alleged that he was dragged by his neck using a cable wire and then hit with stones till he died. His pet dogs too were killed by the mob, the family had alleged.

BJP worker Avijit Sarkar took to Facebook to narrate the harrowing tale of violence that the TMC goons subjected him to. The video was uploaded just hours before he was lynched to death by the miscreants.

“I don’t know how to come live (on Facebook). They hurled bombs right in front of my eyes and vandalised my house and the party office. My only mistake is that I am a BJP worker,” he had recounted just hours before his killing.

In the interim report, the NHRC took account of Sarkar’s horrific killing and recorded that the deceased BJP leader’s body was lying in the mortuary as the family was demanding a second autopsy. However, the West Bengal police and the Mamata Banerjee-led administration did not approve the same.

Calcutta High Court orders second autopsy of Sarkar body, report to be handed over to the CBI

Hearing the petitions filed by the family of the deceased BJP leader, the Calcutta High Court, in its order, directed the state government to conduct another autopsy and DNA report and hand it over to the CBI.

“His brother had to approach this court for conducting a second autopsy, which was allowed, and it was conducted from Command Hospital, Kolkata, as the victim was not having faith in the government machinery,” the court order stated, adding that the autopsy report should specifically mention about the condition of the body as to whether it was properly preserved in the hospital or not.

Earlier, Sarkar’s DNA test report was submitted to the court in a sealed cover along with another envelope containing a certificate under Section 65-B of the Evidence Act concerning the video recording of the post mortem. The court ordered both documents to be kept in safe custody with the Registrar General to be handed over to the CBI.

“The sealed cover submitted by the committee along with its report, second autopsy report of Avijit Sarkar, DNA analysis report as submitted by the Director Command Hospital, Kolkata, and any other sealed cover pertaining to the case, lying with the Registrar General of this court shall be handed over to the authorised officer of the CBI against proper receipt,” the HC said.

Avijit Sarkar’s family welcomes the High Court order

Meanwhile, the family of Avijit Sarkar has welcomed the High Court order of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in all post-poll killings. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Biswajit Sarkar, the victim’s brother, said that they have finally found justice.

“Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders threatened my brother and me with dire consequences during the polls. The attack started as soon as the results were announced on the afternoon of May 2. A mob-tied television wire around my brother’s neck and dragged him along the road. They smashed his head with a stone. The police did not register a complaint although we pleaded several times,” he added.

The family also alleged that some police officers even threatened them and said they would pick the names of the accused. “We refused to comply,” said Sarkar as he placed flowers before a pillar inside the Calcutta High Court. “This is the least people like us can do to pay tribute to the seat of justice,” he said.

Calcutta High Court orders CBI probe in post-poll violence in West Bengal

In a huge setback to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered a court-monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) into the heinous cases of murder, rape and crime against women and other human rights violations that happened in West Bengal in May 2021 after TMC returned to power.

A five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, Justice IP Mukerji, Justice Harish Tandon, Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Subrata Talukdar on Thursday pronounced the judgement in a batch of petitions alleging Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government’s inaction over the brutal acts of violence unleashed by members of ruling Trinamool Congress in the aftermath of assembly elections.

In its scathing order, the Calcutta High Court ordered that the High Court will monitor the CBI investigation into the post-poll violence in the state. 

The High Court has directed that a Special Investigation Team, under the monitoring of the Court, should investigate the other criminal cases related to post-poll violence. IPS officers Suman Bala Sahoo, Soumen Mitra and Ranbir Kumar of the West Bengal cadre have been made the members of the SIT. The working of SIT will be monitored by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, the High Court said.

The court noted that the police filed no FIR in over 60% of the cases.

The Court has also ordered the West Bengal government to grant compensation for the victims of the post-poll violence immediately. In a major embarrassment to Mamata Banerjee-led government, the High Court rejected the allegations of bias against the National Human Rights Commission, a team of which had submitted a fact-finding report to the court as per its directions.

In his lead judgment, Justice Bindal observed that the fact-finding report of the NHRC committee had exposed the police inaction, and hence the matter required independent investigation.

The High Court noted that the registration of cases and investigation against the workers of the ruling TMC was slow, and in a number of cases, FIRs were registered only after the committee pointed out those. On August 3, the Calcutta High Court had reserved judgment on a batch of petitions pertaining to the post-poll violence in West Bengal unleashed by the TMC cadre against the BJP workers.

Indore: 2 minor girls of Valmiki community harassed, family attacked with glass bottles, Sohail, Irfan, Farukh and others booked

OpIndia Staff
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Indore: 2 minor girls of Valmiki community harassed, family attacked with glass bottles, Sohail, Irfan, Farukh and others booked

A video of a violent mob wearing skull caps chasing and attacking a police van is doing the rounds on social media. Reportedly, the incident is of Indore’s Mumbai Bazaar from August 13, but the video went viral only recently. 

As per a Zee News report, a local vegetable vendor Suresh Khade along with his two minor nieces, who belong to the Valmiki community was drinking juice at a shop. A group of boys began teasing and harassing the minor girls. They also asked for their identity cards and pressured them to produce their Aadhar card. 

After incessant harassment by the men, who were reportedly from the Muslim community, Khade called his brothers and other family members to the location. The two groups got into an altercation after which Khade and his family were attacked with glass bottles. Reports suggest that the victims have sustained grave injuries and are undergoing treatment. 

The video of the incident going viral shows a violent mob chasing the police and attacking them while they reached the spot to rescue the girls. A police force from eight police stations had to be called to bring the situation under control.

The mob made an attempt to disallow the police vehicles from entering and leaving the locality. At least a hundred men can be heard chanting religious slogans while surrounding and attacking the police van.

Narrating the incident, Pratap Karosiya a local BJP leader alleged that the minor girls were locked up in a shop and their family members were beaten using weapons. He also announced that the Valmiki community will now not work in the Mumbai Bazaar area following the horrific incident.

In a late-night investigation, the police have filed a case under Section 307, 147, 148, 149, 354, 323, 294 and 506 of IPC, Sections of ST/SC Act and POCSO Act against Sohail, Irfan, Farukh, Junaid, Bilal, Waqar, Farukh, Shadab, Anees and others.

RJ Malishka Mendonsa of Red FM dances for Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra, asks him for ‘jhappi’, Netizens fume

OpIndia Staff
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RJ Malishka Mendonsa of Red FM dances for Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra, asks him for ‘jhappi’, Netizens fume

On Thursday (August 19), radio jockey Malishka Mendonsa sparked a controversy after she posted a video of her and the Red FM staff dancing in front of the ace javelin thrower and Olympic gold medal winner Neeraj Chopra.

In an exclusive interview with Chopra on the Red FM channel, Mendonsa was seen putting up a ‘dance show’ for him along with other staff members. Despite Chopra looking uncomfortable, the radio jockey and her team were seen dancing to the tunes of ‘Ude Jab jab zulfein teri.’ The Olympic gold medalist smiled awkwardly through the ‘performance’.

The radio jockey wrote on Twitter, “Ladiesssss…Yes I got the hard-hitting, deep answers too but..Take the first 4 secs before the cam moves to the zoom call to guess who we are dancing for 😉 #udejabjabzulfeinteri and then tell me I did it for all of us”

It did not just stop at the awkward dance performance where several women performed in front of 23-year-old Neeraj Chopra, towards the end of the interview, Mendonsa tried to hug Neeraj Chopra ‘virtually’ on behalf of the entire nation. An uncomfortable Chopra responded with the gesture of ‘Namaste’ and said, “Namaste aisa door se hi.“

Netizens miffed at the shenanigans of RJ Malishka Mendonsa while ‘interviewing’ Neeraj Chopra

The clip of the incident, which the radio jockey shared on her Twitter timeline, drew the wrath of netizens. Some users have labelled the ‘dance’ and the subsequent gesture of a forcible hug as a ‘cheap stunt’.

One Twitter user pointed out, “What’s wrong with her? Why is she making it so awkward for him? Ugh”

Another user emphasised, “This is too cheap…You are making him feel awkward. What is this nonsense? Do this with your Bollywood stars?”

Supreme Court advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha lamented, “Sad to see you guys doing this and even sad is the fact that RedFM India is allowing you all to do it. I mean, what if the genders were opposite in this case? Had RedFM allowed that too? Very sad!!!”

Before Malishka Mendonsa rose to prominence for objectifying Neeraj Chopra, Times Now journalist Navika Kumar had also become the subject of social media criticism after she kept on pestering the 23-year-old Olympian about his relationship status, prompting netizens to call her ‘gossip aunty.’

‘Go home, you are a woman’: Taliban threatens journalist Shabnam Dawran, bars her from working, multiple such cases emerge

OpIndia Staff
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‘Go home, you are a woman’: Taliban threatens journalist Shabnam Dawran, bars her from working, multiple such cases emerge

Even as the liberals worldwide are glorifying the radical Islamic outfit for being moderate towards journalists by conducting its first press conference, the Taliban’s attacks against the Afghanistan journalists, especially women, are increasing. According to reports, Talibanis are threatening women journalists working with government-owned media platforms not to come to work. Shabnam Dawran, who worked in RTA Pashto said she was barred from working at her TV station.

In a video that has gone viral now, Afghan journalist Shabnam Dawran, wearing a hijab and showing her office identification card, said that the Taliban has not allowed her to enter her office. She also added that their lives are under threat following the Taliban’s capture of Kabul.

“I wanted to return to work, but unfortunately, they did not allow me to work. They told me that the regime has changed, and you cannot work,” said Dawran, who worked with the RTA Pashto for over six years.

In the video, Dawran said she did not give up after the change of system and went to work, but she was not allowed despite showing her office card. Dawran said that the male employees, those with office cards, were allowed to enter the office. However, she was told that she could not continue working because the system has been changed.”

Dawran pleaded with the viewers, saying, “Those who are listening to me, if the world hears me, then please help us as our lives are under threat.”

Another woman journalist banned from RTA by Taliban

According to TOLO News, Khadija, another RTA journalist, was also banned by the Taliban from working.

“I went to the office, but I was not allowed in. Later other colleagues were banned, too. We talked with our new director who has been appointed by the Taliban,” said Khadija.

Khadija said that the Taliban informed her that a decision would be made soon about their work. Khadija said that there had been a change in the programs, they broadcast their desired programs, there are no female presenters and female journalists.

Ever since the Taliban took over Kabul from the Afghan forces, there has been increased attacks on journalists, independent intellectuals in the country. On Wednesday, the Taliban attacked and assaulted journalists in Jalalabad for covering the protests in favour of the Afghanistan flag.

Attacks on journalists continue in Afghanistan

A video had gone viral on social media platforms in which two journalists were seen crying after the Taliban brutally assaulted them. The video was shared by Hafizullah Maroof, journalist, BBC World Service.

Maroof wrote, “It really heartbreaking to see journalists are crying, just for covering a protest in Jalalabad city. This is how journalists are beaten up and are treated by the Taliban now in Afghanistan. Journalism is not a crime.”

In another video that has been widely shared on social media, also reportedly from Jalalabad, a Taliban man was seen kicking and standing over a female journalist who is writhing in pain. Another journalist is slapped and beaten multiple times by armed Taliban radicals. Social media users said that the two were punished by the Taliban for working with foreign media.

OpIndia could not independently verify the authenticity or date of that video.

CNN Journalist Clarissa Ward and her crew attacked

Similarly, reports have emerged that Taliban fighters attacked CNN journalists on Wednesday. CNN had posted a video that showed how armed Taliban fighters confronted journalist Clarissa Ward and her cameraperson. One of them insisted that the woman reporter, who is already wearing a black hijab, cover her face while walking about.

Then, a Taliban insurgent with an assault rifle approaches them with a gun and knocks over the producer. Strangely, CNN has deleted the video it had posted on Twitter.

Interestingly, the attacks against journalists, especially women, come when the Taliban is trying hard to portray to the world that they intend to bring peace to Afghanistan. However, despite trying their best to convince the world that they have “changed” by holding a “press conference”, the Taliban’s true face is unravelling in the streets and towns of Afghanistan.

Leading by example: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw picks up trash during Jan Ashirwad Yatra event in Odisha

OpIndia Staff
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Leading by example: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw picks up trash during Jan Ashirwad Yatra event in Odisha

One of the first initiatives taken by PM Narendra Modi after becoming the prime minister in 2014 was the Swachh Bharat Mission or the Clean India Mission. Showing how the ministers in the union govt believe in this mission, union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw himself picked up trash after an event in Odisha.

Union Railway and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw along with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan arrived in Odisha today to embark on their Jan Ashirwad Yatra. The Yatra has been planned for the newly inducted ministers to seek blessings from the people. The two ministers reached Bhubaneswar on August 19 to start the yatra in Odisha.

During one of such programs, Ashwini Vaishnaw spotted a tender coconut lying on the ground, which was thrown away by someone after drinking the coconut water. The minister picked up the coconut himself to keep it in a dustbin, showing his devotion to the Swachh Bharat Mission.

As part of the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, 31 newly inducted ministers in the Union Cabinet are taking part in the 142-day long outreach programme organised by the BJP. The ministers have been asked to tour their respective states and constituencies and meet the people to create awareness about various welfare schemes of the Central government and also seek blessings from the public.

Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dharmendra Pradhan will tour Odisha on a three-day program from 19th to 21st August. Both of them are scheduled to attend as many as 115 events in six Lok Sabha constituencies in seven districts in the KBK (Koraput, Balangir and Kalahandi) region in Odisha.

The Taliban had escorted Indians evacuated from the Indian mission in Kabul to the airport on Monday amid chaos: Report

OpIndia Staff
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The Taliban had escorted Indians evacuated from the Indian mission in Kabul to the airport on Monday amid chaos: Report

A day after the Taliban had captured Afghanistan capital Kabul, the Indian government had evacuated 120 people working at the Indian embassy there in a military transport plane. Now it had emerged that the Taliban had themselves escorted the Indians from the embassy to the airport amid the chaos on the streets.  

According to a report published by Pakistani daily Dawn, the Indian govt had approached the Taliban to allow the Indians to leave the country after the Indians were unable to reach the airport due to the road blockades put up by the Taliban. Around 50 people who had gathered at the Indian embassy after the Taliban reached the city were already evacuated on Sunday itself, and the rest around 150 people were scheduled to be evacuated on the next day as the Indian govt had decided to close the mission in Kabul.

But when the officials were evacuating the second group, the Taliban refused to allow them to exit the Green Zone, the zone in Kabul that houses foreign missions. The Taliban had closed access to the green zone, making it impossible to enter or exit the zone without the approval of the Taliban. It was a difficult situation for India, as Pakistan is the biggest supporter of the Taliban, and on the other hand, India has been one of the major supporters of the Ashraf Ghani government. Which meant that it was very difficult for the Indians to obtain a concession from the group.

Indian officials requested the Taliban twice in the day to escort the convoy out, but both the pledges were rejected. After the diplomates staying in a house arrest like situation for the whole day, the Taliban however finally agreed, and allowed the cars to move late in the evening, escorted by Talibani vehicles.

According to the Dawn report, some Talibanis even waved at the Indians and smiled at the group travelling in nearly two dozen vehicles. Led by Talibanis in escort vehicles carrying guns, the convoy took 5 hours to reach the airport 5 km away, due to checkpoints put up by the group, and also due to swarms of people coming onto the streets, looking for ways to leave the country.

However, the Talibanis helped the Indian convoy to move ahead, by pushing back the crowd from the road by pointing guns at them. At one intersection, the Talibanis even fired in the air to scare away the people from the road.

After the convoy reached the airport, the Taliban convoy left, as the airport and the flights are being managed by American forces. The Indians boarded a Boeing C-17 Globemaster of the Indian Air Force, which took off after two hours, by then it was already morning the next day.

The aircraft took off from the Hamid Karzai International Airport at around 8 AM Kabul time on Tuesday, and landed at Jamnagar Air Base in Gujarat. The people evacuated by the flight included officials and security personnel from the Indian embassy in Kabul, and some other Indian nationals. From Jamnagar, they were sent to their respective destinations.

Afghans march through Kabul with hundreds of meters long national flag to protest against Taliban, Islamic outfit opens fire

OpIndia Staff
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Afghans march through Kabul with hundreds of meters long national flag to protest against Taliban, Islamic outfit opens fire

On the occasion of Afghanistan’s Independence Day on August 19, scores of citizens of the war-torn state took to the streets of the capital city, Kabul. They marched across the city carrying hundreds of meter long Afghanistan flag, to protest against the Taliban’s takeover of the war-ravaged country. Videos of the protest are now being widely shared on social media platforms.

According to reports, soon after the Islamist outfit officially declared Afghanistan as an ‘Islamic Emirate’ on the country’s 102nd Independence Day from British control in 1919, Afghan nationals, comprising of men, women and children hit the streets of Kabul. Amidst loud cheers of ‘Long Live Afghanistan’ and ‘Our flag, our identity’, these protestors have been marching through the city with the national flag.

Besides Kabul, the Afghans showed their dissent against the now ruling Talibanis by hoisting their national flag in various other places in the country. In videos of Abdul Haq Square flooding the social media space, two men are seen climbing twin flagpoles to unfurl the national flag. Below, people are seen cheering as they wave tiny, plastic replicas of the Afghan flag.

However, such acts of defiance by Afghani nationals have attracted retaliation from the Talibanis. As per eyewitnesses, such processions have been fired upon in the eastern city of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province in which three people lost their lives.

Today also, the Taliban opened fire on an Independence Day rally in Konar province’s Asadabad, in which several people were killed.

According to Guardian, hundreds of protesters, including women, gathered in Kabul brandishing the national flag and shouting “our flag, our identity”. The Islamist fundamentals surrounded these protesters, shouting and firing rounds into the air in an attempt to disperse the crowds. This triggered panic followed by a stampede in the area. A witness Mohammed Salim said: “Several people were killed and injured in the stampede and firing by the Taliban.”

According to media reports, after retaking the country on Sunday, August 15, the Taliban intends to replace the Afghan national flag with their white banner bearing the Shahada “La ilah ila Allah, Mohammad rasoul Allah” (There is no god but God and Muhammad is God’s messenger). This attempt has irked the Afghanis who have taken to the streets to protest against the radical Islamist outfit.

Deoband Mufti hails Taliban for ‘defeating’ a superpower like America, had earlier issued a fatwa against worshipping Lord Ram: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Deoband Mufti hails Taliban for ‘defeating’ a superpower like America, had earlier issued a fatwa against worshipping Lord Ram: Details

After Samajwadi Party leader Safiqur Rahman Burke and All India Muslim Personal Law Board cleric Maulana Umrain Mahfuz Rahmani, Maulana Mufti Arshad Farooqi, the Mufti of Darul-Uloom Deoband and the chairman of Online Fatwa Department, glorified the radical Islamic outfit Taliban for its alleged victory against the USA in Afghanistan.

In a video that has gone viral on the internet now, Maulana Mufti Arshad Farooqi was heard praising the Taliban for their ‘victory’ against the ‘super power’ United States. Hailing the Taliban for ousting the United States of America from Afghanistan, the Deoband-based Maulana said there is something special about the Taliban that even a superpower like America cannot emerge victorious against them.

“Even after severe oppression and subjugation for over 20 years, the United States of America faced severe losses in Afghanistan. They desperately achieved peace in Qatar and withdrew their forces quietly from Afghanistan. Even superpowers like America is accepting defeat at the hands of the Taliban. The 3.5 lakh strong Afghan forces, trained by the US Forces, surrendered in front of the Taliban, which proves that there is something special about them,” said Maulana Mufti Arshad Farooqi.

It is worth noting that the Taliban, which has recently risen in prominence in Afghanistan and effectively controls the country, draws its inspiration from the Deobandi movement. The Taliban’s association with the UP town of Deoband was also highlighted in an article published in the New York Times in 2002. The article titled “Indian town’s seed grew into the Taliban code” has discussed how the ideology of radical Islamism that germinated in a town in Uttar Pradesh went on to influence the jihadist movement on the other side of the Durand Line, the line that separates Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This is not the first time that Maulana Farooqi is making such controversial remarks. In 2017, Maulana Arshad Farooqi had issued a fatwa against a group of Muslim women for performing the aarti of Lord Ram at an event on Diwali in Varanasi.

The Deoband cleric had said the women could not be “Muslim Ulema” for worshipping multiple gods. The fatwa from Maulana Farooqi had come after Muslim Mahila Foundation, and Vishal Bharat Sansthan had worshipped Lord Ram during a Diwali event in Varanasi.

Maulana Farooqi’s praise for the Taliban comes just as several other Muslim leaders, including those from the Samajwadi Party, have openly praised the Taliban. Besides, a large section of Indian Leftist media was even seen hailing the Taliban for their propaganda of “changed” principles with regards to women’s rights and “holding a press conference”.

Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rehman Burq had extended his support to the Jihadist organisation by saying that their conquest was akin to India’s freedom movement against British Empire. Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rehman Burq had attempted to legitimise the radical Islamist outfit after he had claimed that the Taliban have only recaptured the land that originally belonged to them. Drawing an equivalence between the radical Islamist outfit and India’s freedom fighters, the Samajwadi Party leader had said that as our countrymen fought for freedom from the British, the Taliban also wants to free their country and run it.

Besides, Shafiqur Rahman Barq, a senior cleric of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), also extended his support to the terror group. Maulana Umrain Mahfuz Rahmani, the Secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), had praised the Taliban’s offensive against the Afghan government to capture the war-torn country by force.

‘Bengal police ignored complaints of victims, no FIR in 60% cases’: Calcutta HC orders court-monitored CBI probe in post-poll violence cases

OpIndia Staff
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‘Bengal police ignored complaints of victims, no FIR in 60% cases’: Calcutta HC orders court-monitored CBI probe in post-poll violence cases

In a huge setback to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered a court-monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) into the heinous cases of murder, rape and crime against women and other human rights violations that happened in West Bengal in May 2021 after TMC returned to power.

According to the reports, a five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, Justice IP Mukerji, Justice Harish Tandon, Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Subrata Talukdar on Thursday pronounced the judgement in a batch of petitions alleging Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government’s inaction over the brutal acts of violence unleashed by members of ruling Trinamool Congress in the aftermath of assembly elections.

In its scathing order, the Calcutta High Court ordered that the High Court will monitor the CBI investigation into the post-poll violence in the state. 

“The Committee, NHRC, any other Commission or Authority, and the State shall immediately hand over entire record of the cases entrusted to the CBI for investigation. It is made clear that it shall be a Court-monitored investigation. Any obstruction in the course of investigation by anyone shall be viewed seriously”, the Calcutta High Court observed.

Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal delivered the lead judgment, whereas Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon and Soumen Sen delivered separate but concurring judgments.

High Court constitutes SIT to look into other criminal cases related to post-poll violence

The High Court has directed that a Special Investigation Team, under the monitoring of the Court, should investigate the other criminal cases related to post-poll violence. IPS officers Suman Bala Sahoo, Soumen Mitra and Ranbir Kumar of the West Bengal cadre have been made the members of the SIT. The working of SIT will be monitored by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, the High Court said.

The court noted that in over 60% of the cases, no FIR was filed by the police.

The Court has also ordered the West Bengal government to grant compensation for the victims of the post-poll violence immediately. In a major embarrassment to Mamata Banerjee-led government, the High Court rejected the allegations of bias against the National Human Rights Commission, a team of which had submitted a fact-finding report to the court as per its directions.

“The allegation of bias against the Committee is not material because this court has considered not only the report of the Committee but other materials as well and arguments of learned Counsel based thereon”, Justice IP Mukerji observed in his judgment.

The Court has also directed the state government to hand over the autopsy report of Avijit Sarkar, a BJP worker who got killed in the post-poll violence and other sealed cover documents to the CBI. The Calcutta High Court has asked the CBI and the SIT to submit status reports to the court within six weeks. A division bench will again consider the matter on October 24.

High Court directs for independent investigation in the post-poll violence cases

In his lead judgment, Justice Bindal observed that the fact-finding report of the NHRC committee had exposed the police inaction, and hence the matter required independent investigation.

The High Court noted that the registration of cases and investigation against the workers of the ruling TMC was slow, and in a number of cases, FIRs were registered only after the committee pointed out those.

“There are some FIRs registered against the supporters/workers of political parties who are not in power. These are claimed by them as false cross cases. Even they will not be able to allege bias against the State if the investigation of their cases is also held by an independent agency or monitored by SIT,” the Calcutta High Court Acting Chief Justice noted.

Further, Justice Bindal’s judgment stated, “It should and will inspire the confidence of the people in the rule of law. The allegation is of police inaction. The report submitted by the Committee throws some light on this, and the police have not properly responded to all the issues raised and trying to downplay the same, it certainly needs investigation by an independent agency. Even comparison of data pertaining to the crime during the previous corresponding period will also not come to the rescue of the State as the pattern of the crime can change and the period thereof. Further, there are definite and proven allegations that complaints filed by the victims of post-poll violence were not registered. Such types of incidents, even if isolated, are not good for a healthy democracy”.  

On August 3, the Calcutta High Court had reserved judgment on a batch of petitions pertaining to the post-poll violence in West Bengal unleashed by the TMC cadre against the BJP workers.

Post poll violence in West Bengal

Post-poll violence has become a leitmotif of news emerging out of Bengal following the declaration of results. 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.

The violence unleashed against them forced hundreds of BJP party workers and supporters to flee their villages along with their families. They had crossed over to Assam, where they had been provided temporary shelter under the supervision of minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. However, it is not just the BJP but even CPI(M), which has accused the TMC of killing its workers. Reports of attacks on BSF jawans have also emerged in the media.

On June 2, 2021, a month after Mamata Banerjee came back to power, the BJP said 37 of its workers were killed in the post-poll violence that convulsed the state. In addition, some reports said women in West Bengal were raped, assaulted and, in some cases, even killed just because they adhered to a different political ideology.

Recently, a victim raped by the TMC goons in front of her father had shared her harrowing ordeal with OpIndia. She narrated how she was attacked and sexually assaulted by her perpetrators associated with the TMC party.

In the aftermath of the assembly election results, TMC goons wreaked havoc, attacking and plundering the houses of their opponents. In one such attack, TMC goons had lynched BJP worker Avijit Sarkar to death.

Antima Singh goes against her family to convert and marry Imran who mercilessly stabs her in full public view in Rajasthan: Full story

OpIndia Staff
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Antima Singh goes against her family to convert and marry Imran who mercilessly stabs her in full public view in Rajasthan: Full story

A gruesome incident has been reported from Kota, Rajasthan, where a Muslim youth mercilessly stabbed his wife Antima Singh alias Rizwana (27) in full public view. The accused slit his wife’s throat with a sharp weapon in the middle of the road in broad daylight and fled from the spot leaving his gravely injured wife in a pool of blood. The locals rushed the injured woman to the hospital for treatment, but doctors declared her brought dead.

According to reports, the victim, married Imran 11 years ago against her parents’ wish and changed her name to Rizwana after accepting Islam. She lived with her husband in the Vigyan Nagar area with their three children. A few years after the marriage, the couple started regularly having fights. Fed up of the daily squabbles, the duo separated two years ago. Antima Singh alias Rizwana started living at her sister’s place in the Balakund area in Kota, Rajasthan.

Following the separation, Imran gave triple talaq to Antima Singh alias Rizwana. Rizwana, in turn, filed a police complaint against her husband accusing him of harassment and physical assault.

Irked by the police complaint, Imran visited Rizwana’s sister’s house on Wednesday. He met Rizwana in a grocery shop located near the house where he stabbed her Rizwana on her neck in broad daylight and fled from the spot. According to reports, Rizwana’s 12-year-old niece was also injured in the assault, when she tried to intervene. Locals who gathered there, hearing Rizwana scream in pain rushed her to the hospital, where she was declared dead.

As soon as the police received the information they reached the spot and started investigating the case.

Imran had sold off the victim from Kota, Rajasthan to someone in Goa

Anita Chauhan, the sister of the deceased confirmed that Imran was an alcoholic, who had married her sister when she was 16-years-old, against the wishes of their family. After marriage, he started indulging in regular fights with Rizwana.

In the later few years of their marriage, Imran had started abusing and physically assaulting her sister also, said Anita, alleging that Imran had sold off his wife to someone in Goa. Rizwana luckily managed to flee Goa. After coming back, Rizwana decided to forgive Imran and went back to living with him, lamented Anita.

The aggrieved Anita added that Imran has three children with her sister, whom he used to also beat up. Sick of the atrocities, Rizwana, two years, ago broke all her ties with Imran and started living with her, informed Anita Chauhan.

Meanwhile, the Dadabari police have, at present, kept Rizwana’s body in the mortuary of MBS Hospital and launched a manhunt to find Imran.

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