SC directs arrest warrant against WB BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh be kept in abeyance

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S Abdul Nazeer and Hemant Gupta said no further coercive action be taken against BJP candidate and former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh in the case.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that the non-bailable arrest warrant issued against BJP candidate and former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh in connection with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls violence case be kept in abeyance till the conclusion of the assembly polls in West Bengal.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S Abdul Nazeer and Hemant Gupta said no further coercive action be taken against Ghosh in the case.

The top court listed the matter for further hearing after two months.

Former IPS officer Ghosh, who has been fielded by the BJP for the assembly polls in West Bengal from the Debra constituency of West Midnapore district, had moved the top court on Monday seeking a stay of the arrest warrant and quashing of the FIR lodged against her in connection with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls violence case.

Ghosh is contesting the election from Derba against Humayun Kabir, a Trinamool Congress candidate and also a former IPS officer.

Ghosh, in her intervention application filed through advocate Sameer Kumar, said despite the top court granting her relief of “no coercive action” in series of “false cases” lodged against her on February 19, 2019, which was extended from time to time, she has been implicated in new cases out of political vendetta.

(PTI)