No punitive action against Suvendu Adhikari, orders Calcutta HC

In a major relief to West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, while dismissing the state government's plea, upheld the single bench order and said that the state cannot take any punitive action against him.

The state is investigating two cases including the case regarding the death of his bodyguard and the allegation of taking money illegally in the name of getting a job in Maniktala police station - against Adhikari. He had moved the court seeking protection from arrest in these cases.

In September this year, the single bench of Justice Rajsekhar Manthar had directed the police not to arrest him.

The state had lodged three other cases against the Leader of the Opposition but Manthar stayed all the other three cases also and had directed the state police to seek court permission before filing a fresh FIR against Adhikari and arresting him. The state challenged the single bench order but the division bench of Justice Subrata Talukdar and Justice Kesang Bhutia dismissed the state government's plea.

Suvendu's lawyer Bilwadal Bhattacharya said, "We have filed a case in the Calcutta High Court claiming that multiple false cases are being filed against Suvendu Adhikari." Earlier in the case, a single bench of Calcutta High Court Judge Rajshekhar Manthar had directed not to arrest him. However, the state government appealed to the division bench against the order of the single bench. The division bench today directed that the state should not pursue the appeal."

He further said, "There is a case against Suvendu Adhikari in Panskura police station." Besides, there is a case against him for taking money by cheating in the name of giving a job, another case is related to the mysterious death of his former bodyguard. The Calcutta High Court had earlier ruled that he cannot be arrested in all these cases The Division Bench upheld that order." - IANS