The division bench of Calcutta High Court headed by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava on Wednesday directed the state to pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh within six weeks to the mother and brother of Abhijit Sarkar, the BJP leader murdered in a post-poll clash allegedly by Trinamul supporters in May last year.
The order followed a prayer by Abhijit’s brother Biswajit Sarkar, who alleged that even after a five-judge special bench headed by former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal ordered the state government in July last year to pay the compensation to the family, the state was yet to do so. The lawyer, who moved the plea on Biswajit’s behalf, claimed his client had been called to Nabanna several times but the government was yet to pay the money.
Abhijit was fatally assaulted by a mob on May 2 last year after Assembly results were announced and Trinamul was voted back to power. He was a BJP leader in the city’s Narkeldanga area.
Later, state BJP leaders claimed Trinamul workers had murdered him.
The CBI took over the Abhijit murder case following an order of the high court last year. The investigating agency has already filed a chargesheet in the case.
Post-poll violence
Calcutta High Court division bench headed by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava on Wednesday constituted a three-member committee to help 303 BJP workers return to their respective homes.
Following BJP counsel Priyanka Tibrewal’s complaint that even after repeated orders from the court, the state authorities did not provide any security to the BJP workers who were allegedly subjected to regular torture by ruling party workers, the bench constituted a panel to facilitate the process of their returning home.
The lawyer alleged that 303 persons were still homeless and demanded that the court should intervene in the matter.
Damayanti on probes
Special commissioner of Calcutta police Damayanti Sen on Wednesday informed the high court that in response to court's directive she was ready to monitor the police probes into cases of rape at Matia in South 24-Paraganas, Deganga in North 24-Parganas, Bansdroni in Calcutta and English Bazar in Malda.
The hearing of the case related to incidents of rape came up hearing before the division bench headed by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava on Wednesday.
A preliminary report in the incidents of rape was submitted to the court on behalf of the police in a sealed cover. The matter will come up for hearing again on May 2.
Witness protection
Advocate Anindya Sunder moved a petition demanding protection of witnesses of Hanskhali rape and murder case under the “witness protection scheme”.
The lawyer claimed that according to the scheme, witnesses get protection and be escorted by the security personnel, but were not getting that.
28 Covid cases
Bengal on Wednesday reported 28 Covid-19 infections, 42 recoveries and no death. At present, there are 258 active cases in the state — 233 in home isolation and 25 in hospitals, according to the state bulletin. The state’s recovery rate on Wednesday was 98.94 per cent, while the mortality rate was 1.05 per cent.
