Calcutta High Court orders CBI probe into ‘attack’ on Union minister’s convoy

Adhikari prayed for a CBI investigation into the alleged attack, claiming that the state police had refused to register a complaint by the CISF personnel who were providing security to the minister and instead arrested BJP workers for the same.

On March 16, the state government submitted a report to a division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj, which is hearing the case, where the associates accompanying the Union minister’s convoy were held responsible for instigating the violence. The Union government soon filed a counter affidavit stating its points of arguments in the matter.

Hearing the matter, the division bench directed a CBI investigation into the alleged attack on the Union minister. The bench has also directed the CBI to find out the sequence of events of that day.

“The convoy of Nisith Pramanik was attacked on February 25. We moved court over the matter. On Tuesday, the court directed a CBI probe into the matter,” said Adhikari’s lawyer.

West Bengal Advocate General S N Mookherjee, representing the state government, opposed the petition and disputed the allegations. However, the court did not pay heed to the state’s apepal.
On February 25, the convoy of Pramanik was attacked allegedly by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers at Burihat under Dinhata Assembly constituency in Cooch Behar district.

The situation turned violent after TMC and BJP supporters clashed with each other, throwing bricks and stones which, smashed the glass window of Pramanik’s car. The Union minister did not suffer any injuries. The police later arrested 48 BJP workers and leaders in connection with the incident.

The BJP on Tuesday welcomed the court directive and hit out at the Trinamool Congress for trying to hush up the matter. “When TMC workers attacked the convoy of Union Minister Nisith Pramanik, the state police instead of arresting the culprits, booked our party workers and leaders.

We want to know the truth and find out who had attacked the convoy. Let there be a CBI probe into this,” said BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul.

Countering the saffron party’s claims, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, “A conspiracy was hatched to malign the TMC. The BJP wanted to enjoy the limelight and that’s why they staged a drama over the incident. Now the court has ordered a CBI probe. Had the state government completed the investigation, the conspiracy of the BJP would have been foiled. The BJP does not want that to happen.”