Today, On 3rd June, The Calcutta High Court granted interim protection to BJP candidates Rekha Patra and Pranat Tudu. This decision provides them temporary relief from potential arrest or legal action. The protection comes amidst ongoing political tensions in West Bengal.
Calcutta: The Calcutta High Court granted interim protection to two BJP Lok Sabha poll candidates, Rekha Patra and Pranat Tudu, in connection with police cases lodged against them. The two candidates approached the court, alleging that false cases were filed against them to hinder their presence during the counting process for the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday.
Justice Amrita Sinha directed the police not to take any action against BJP’s Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra until July 5 in relation to a case registered against her in the North 24 Parganas district. Patra’s lawyer, Billawadal Bhattacharya, submitted that an FIR filed against her over an incident that occurred on June 1, the day of the elections in the Basirhat constituency, which includes the Sandeshkhali area.
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The court scheduled Patra’s petition to be heard again on June 19. This interim protection order aims to ensure that the candidates can participate in the counting process without interference from the pending police cases.
Asserting that Patra, not present at the location of the alleged incident, the defence counsel requested the court to issue the necessary orders to ensure her unhindered participation in the counting process.
Additionally, Justice Sinha ordered a stay on any further steps by the police against BJP’s Jhargram candidate Pranat Tudu until June 21, in relation to a case filed against him at the Garhbeta police station in Paschim Medinipur district.
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The court stated,
“It was granting this protection because the petitioner is a contesting candidate, and his presence may be required during the vote counting and declaration of the election result.”
Bhattacharya, who also represents Tudu, informed the court that he had been assaulted on May 25, during the sixth phase of polling for the Jhargram constituency. He alleged that his complaint regarding this incident disregarded, while a complaint filed against him by a TMC member at the same police station taken seriously and registered as an FIR. The state’s attorneys opposed both petitions, arguing that the investigations were still in the early stages and should not be stopped.
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