Calcutta High Court allows affidavits of Mamata, Bengal govt. in Narada case

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed applications of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Law Minister Moloy Ghatak and the State of West Bengal seeking submission of affidavits in Narada case.

“… We allow the affidavits filed by the State as well as the Chief Minister and the Law Minister, namely, respondents number 6 and 7 to be taken on record. However, the same shall be subject to payment of token cost assessed at ₹5,000 for each, to be deposited with the State Legal Services Authority within a week from date,” said an order by a five-judge Bench led by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal.

The court added that as there must be certain allegations in the pleadings filed by aforesaid respondents, the CBI should be entitled to respond to the same and also any other affidavit-in-opposition filed by other respondents. The purported affidavits by the West Bengal government, the Chief Minister and the Law Minister deal with the law and order situation outside the office of the Central Bureau of Investigation in Kolkata on May 17, when four leaders, including three Ministers of the Trinamool Congress, were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the Narada case.

NHRC report

Meanwhile, the committee set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the directions of the Calcutta High Court submitted an interim report before the court on Wednesday. The committee was asked to probe the allegations of post-poll violence in the State. The matter will come up for hearing on July 2.

The Chief Minister said that when the members of the NHRC visited the Jadavpur area, the Central forces beat up women there.

“National television channels are presenting wrong pictures about West Bengal. Stories are being planted by the Home Minister’s office,” Ms. Banerjee said. On Tuesday, a member of the NHRC committee alleged assault by locals in the Jadavpur area.