Nabanna Abhiyan Protest- Calcutta HC Extends Interim Direction Not To Unnecessarily Arrest BJP Workers

Directing the matter to be listed on September 27^th, 2022, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj held –

"The interim directions, issued earlier, will continue to operate. List on 27th of September, 2022."

An interim application was moved by the Petitioner in his WP No. 470/2022 alleging that despite the directions issued by the Court to the State on September 13^th, to ensure that no person is unnecessarily detained in connection with the rally, the State authorities have been acting in a very high-handed, wrongful and illegal manner. The state authority, including the Kolkata police, have been torturing the supporters of the BJP and have been randomly threatening them.

The Petitioner had also alleged that state authorities have been randomly picking up supporters of BJP from various districts across West Bengal over the past few days and have been arresting them in connection with the Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan.

The Petitioner also named a few supporters of the BJP who have been picked up by the Police and one of them has also been arrested.

Further, it was also stated that the supporters of the BJP are not criminals to be arrested in a such high-handed manner and to be tortured in such a fashion and manner.

Additionally, Petitioner Sukanta Gosh mentioned that the police personnel are using barbaric tactics, torture, and stopping the peaceful protesters of the BJP and pelting stones at them.

The Petitioner in his application had sought an order from the Court directing the state to disclose the particulars of all cases filed against BJP supporters concerning the Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan which took place on September 13, 2022, and surrounding the same, including in various districts across West Bengal.

Also, an order directing the state to furnish names and particulars of all accused persons in the FIRs registered against BJP supporters concerning the Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan.

The Petitioner had also sought an order restraining the police authorities from threatening or torturing the alleged accused in their custody or while seeking to apprehend the alleged accused.

The PIL was filed by Sukanta Ghosh with the grievance that on September 13, 2022, the Karyakartas of BJP West Bengal had organized a peaceful protest on certain issues and that they were restrained from boarding buses, trains, or other public transports and were forcibly prevented from participating in the rally.

Cause Title- Sukanta Ghosh v. State of West Bengal and others

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