Today, On 14th June, The Calcutta High Court granted permission for Suvendu Adhikari and victims of post-poll violence to visit Raj Bhavan, contingent on approval. Their entry was previously denied because the number of people intending to meet Governor C.V. Ananda Bose was not disclosed to the police in advance, according to their lawyer.
Calcutta: The Calcutta High Court raised questions about the status of the West Bengal governor, wondering if the governor is under “house arrest.” The court directed that the Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, can visit the Raj Bhavan (the governor’s residence) along with individuals who claim to have been affected by post-poll violence, provided they receive permission from the governor’s office.
According to the court’s order, Adhikari and another person previously attempted to enter the Raj Bhavan but were prevented from doing so by the police, despite having written permission.
Justice Amrita Sinha now ruled that Adhikari can visit the Governor House with the alleged victims of violence in the state following the Lok Sabha elections, as long as they receive the necessary permission from the Raj Bhavan.
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During the hearing, Justice Sinha questioned the state’s Advocate General (AG) about whether the governor under “house arrest.” When the AG confirmed that was not the case, Justice Sinha wondered why the individuals not allowed to meet the governor despite having his office’s permission.
AG Kishore Dutta asserted in court that the petitioners’ allegations were false. He argued that Adhikari’s secretary did not follow protocol to communicate with the police at the location when they arrived at Raj Bhavan on Thursday afternoon.
In response, Adhikari’s lawyer disputed the AG’s claim, suggesting that Dutta had not received accurate information from his officers.
Dutta then informed the high court that the governor visited Maheshwari Bhawan in Burrabazar on Friday and met with the alleged victims of post-poll violence.
The court directed the petitioner to make a fresh request. If the governor’s office grants permission, they may visit Raj Bhavan.
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and a woman, who claims to be a victim of post-poll violence, stated in their petition that they had an appointment to meet Governor Bose at 4 pm on Thursday, accompanied by around 200 people.
Their lawyer argued that, based on the permission granted to meet the governor, they gathered near Raj Bhavan but allegedly stopped by the police from entering the premises.
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The lawyer further stated that the visitors prevented from entering the Governor’s House because the police had not been informed beforehand about the number of people who were to meet Bose along with Adhikari.
The petitioners requested the court to issue an order allowing their visit, contingent upon approval from the governor’s secretariat. They also sought action against the police officers who prevented them from entering Raj Bhavan.
The BJP accused the TMC of post-poll violence, allegations that the ruling party denied.