Today(on 26th April), Calcutta High Court orders NIA report on Murshidabad clashes during Ram Navami; emphasizes thorough investigation following SP’s explosives report.
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KOLKATA: Today(on 26th April), The Calcutta High Court has directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to furnish a comprehensive report on the recent clashes in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, during the Ram Navami festivities. The court has emphasized the need for a thorough investigation and is considering transferring the case to the central agency.
Following a report by the Murshidabad district Superintendent of Police (SP) detailing the purported use of explosives and weaponry leading to injuries during clashes in Beldanga and Saktipur on April 13 and 17, the court’s decision ensued.
Recognizing the severity of the events, a division bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam has instructed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to compile a thorough report on the confrontations. Additionally, the NIA is tasked with addressing the allegations outlined in two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) concerning the incident.
Furthermore, the bench, which also includes Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, has asked the NIA to clarify in its report whether the First Information Reports (FIRs) registered in connection with the clashes should be transferred to the central agency. This move indicates the court’s inclination towards a more thorough and impartial investigation into the matter.
Under the provisions of the NIA Act, bomb explosions fall under the category of scheduled offenses that can be investigated by the central agency. The court has now set a deadline for the NIA to submit its report by May 10. It has also urged the NIA to address the serious allegations raised by the central government’s representative, additional solicitor general Asok Kumar Chakrabarti, regarding the clashes as mentioned in one of the petitions.
As part of the ongoing proceedings, both the Murshidabad SP and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have submitted their reports to the court in the form of sworn affidavits. These reports were filed as per the court’s earlier directive.
The court suggested on April 23 that it might propose to the Election Commission the postponement of Lok Sabha elections in the Baharampur constituency, where the incidents occurred.
The court’s decision to hear two petitions seeking investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and NIA reflects the severity of the situation. In a strong statement, the court highlighted that when two groups engage in violent confrontations while the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in force, it questions the necessity of elected representatives, as elections may exacerbate the existing problems.
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The two PILs were filed by Amiya Sarkar, the Kolkata area convenor of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and S.A. Afzal, the regional convenor of the Muslim Rashtriya Mancha for West Bengal and Sikkim.
