Calcutta High Court Orders Constitution Of SIT To Probe Mominpur- Ekbalpur Communal Violence

The Calcutta High Court has ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Director General of Police, West Bengal and the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, to investigate further into the offences related to the Mominpur- Ekbalpur Communal Violence.

Nabendu Kumar Bandyopadhyay and Niladri Saha had approached the High Court and their pleas were mentioned yesterday. The Court had permitted them to move the petition today.

Advocates Swatarup Banerjee, Lokenath Chatterjee and others appeared for the petitioners while AGP T.M. Siddiqui appeared for the state, DSG Billwadal Bhattacharya appeared for the CBI and Advocate Kaushik Gupta for the CESC.

Division Bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Apurba Sinha Roy also ordered the preservation of evidence and video footage, and to take steps to allay the apprehension of the public and for ensuring communal harmony.

The Petitioners raised the issue pertaining to the prosecution of minority scheduled caste Hindus in the areas of Dompara, Mominpur and Ekbalpur, Kolkata. They also pointed out that the miscreants entered the Ekbalpur Police Station and ransacked it.

During the hearing, the State Government filed a preliminary report stating that five criminal cases have been registered concerning the Mominpur violence, out of which three relate to the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. It stated that fifteen live bombs and four crude bombs and weapons were recovered and that around fourty persons have been arrested.

The State further reported that a report in terms of Section 6 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 has been submitted today afternoon to the Central Government and that the Center is to now take a call on whether to transfer the investigation to the NIA.

The local communities have been asked by the Court to cooperate with the government and law enforcement agencies.

The State Government has also been directed to report on the measures taken for granting compensation for the losses suffered, in terms of the existing schemes under law. The State Government is also to take steps for the repatriation of persons to the locality.

The State Government has been asked to file a report within two weeks after reopening of the Court after vacation.

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