Bengal govt says, Calcutta HC should handle post-poll violence cases

The West Bengal government told the Supreme Court that all the matters pertaining to the post-poll violence in the state should be handled by the Calcutta High Court. The Supreme Court will hear the matter on June 15.

Kolkata: The West Bengal government told the Supreme Court regarding the post-poll violence cases that are pending in the court. The government said that all the matters pertaining to the post-poll violence in West Bengal should be handled by the Calcutta High Court. Although, it is said that the petitioners have approached the top court to undermine the jurisdiction of the Calcutta High Court.

"Even though a five-judge bench of the HC is heading all aspects of the alleged post-poll violence in the state, under the guise of the instant writ petition, the petitioners have made omnibus request seeking transfer of investigation of all incidents of deaths to a Special Investigation Team and for monitoring of investigation of all incidents of attacks in the aftermath of the assembly elections in the state," contended the state.

"The petition is based on misinformation and falsehoods and has completely blown out of proportion the extent of post-poll violence that had occurred in West Bengal. Much of the misinformation is based on fabricated stories generated on social media by miscreants to create a state of panic in the state," read the affidavit.

The state alleged that kin of the deceased BJP supporter has not been cooperating in the investigation. They further went on to say that incriminating materials were seized from the supporter's house, but the team of investigating officers were not allowed to enter his Kolkata office, for further investigation. The deceased's family did not hand over, his mobile phone to the officers.

The state government has said that that the allegations levelled against them for not handling the violent situation in the state are false. The government said it is only because of the state's timely interference during the post-poll violence, that the law and order situation was restored in the state in a short span of time".

The Supreme Court will hear the matter on June 15.