Calcutta High Court on Monday turned down the prayer of the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, who had sought quashing of an FIR drawn up by Contai police accusing him and four others, including his brother Soumendu, of stealing tarpaulins from the civic body’s godown on May 29.

Justice Tirthankar Ghosh also declined to issue an interim stay on an inquiry into the alleged theft. So now, if they want, investigators can take any punitive step, including issuing arrest orders, against the Adhikari brothers.

On June 1, Ratnadwip Manna, a Contai civic board member, had complained with Contai police that on May 29, a few armed men barged inside the civic body godown, picked up tarpaulins kept for aid, dumped them in a vehicle and fled.

According to the complaint, two other members of the board, Himangshu Manna and Pratap De, were with the men.

Ratnadwip also alleged that Himangshu and Pratap told him that the tarpaulins were taken on orders of Suvendu and Soumendu.

The Contai police has arrested Pratap. Soumendu and Himangshu are “absconding”, according to the police.

Soumendu and Himangshu are also not available on the phone, a police officer said.

The lawyer appearing for Suvendu said this case was part of a conspiracy by the ruling Trinamul Congress to frame the Adhikari brothers as they had recently joined the BJP.

The state government’s counsel said that considering the gravity of the allegation, the high court should not restrain investigators from a probe.

The next hearing of the case will be on June 22.