After completing the hearing in Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul’s case on Friday, the Calcutta High Court said it will give its verdict on August 13 and extended the stay on the registration of FIR against him for his rape and murder remark. A division bench comprising Justices Girish Gupta and T Chakraborty heard the case for the third consecutive day on Friday. The bench extended the stay till August 14 on the execution of a single bench order directing registration of an FIR and a CID probe against Paul for his allegedly objectionable comments against women. Kalyan Banerjee, a TMC MP and senior advocate who appeared on behalf of the state challenging the single bench order, had prayed for an interim injunction on Justice Dipankar Dutta’s order. Justice Dutta had earlier ordered registration of FIR and transfer of the case to CID within 72 hours. Banerjee told the bench that police had sought the original video tape of Paul’s comments from the TV channel which had broadcast it. He said the police are yet to get the tape and as soon as they get evidence, the investigation will start. Paul, whose remark had sparked an outrage, on July 1 tendered an unconditional apology saying that in making such comments he had let down his constituency and the people of Bengal.
