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Journalism of Courage
For the last 16 years, Narayan Biswas, the Minister of State for Small and Cottage Industries, has been ‘‘absconding’’ as per police records. Now, he may have to turn himself in—even if the chargesheet against him was ‘‘misplaced’’ three years ago.
While the CPI(M) has shielded him all these years, it may now be forced to take action against Biswas following the Election Commission’s directive that the names of all those who have been declared absconding by police for the last six months or more should be removed from the voters’ lists.
Although records show that Biswas has been absconding since June 16, 1989, the fact is police have been providing security cover and pilot cars to him after he became Minister four years back. And his office at Writers’ Building is just a few rooms away from the office of the Director General of Police.
According to sources, the party is now trying to decide whether Biswas should surrender as State Minister or tender his resignation first and then turn himself in.
‘‘We are processing the case of Narayan Biswas. He has already filed a plea for anticipatory bail at the Calcutta High Court. The party has issued guidelines that all those against whom there are pending cases should either get them sorted out or surrender,’’ said Minati Ghosh, CPI(M) state committee member from South Dinajpur from where Biswas hails.
On the ‘‘missing chargesheet’’, Ghosh said: ‘‘What can we do? Many chargesheets get misplaced, this is not a singular case where only the chargesheet against Biswas has been misplaced.’’
According to prosecution advocate, Arunava Ghosh, the Balurghat court had even issued a search order for the ‘‘misplaced’’ chargesheet.
The case against Biswas dates back to March 28, 1988, when an FIR was filed against him for leading a group—armed with firearms—that burnt down the houses of 22 Congressmen in Balurghat. Charging Biswas with rioting, a case was lodged against him under Section 436 of the IPC—with punishment of up to life imprisonment. There were 55 others named in the FIR.
On June 16, 1989, an arrest warrant was issued against Biswas, then the vice chairman of the West Dinajpur Zila Parishad (district council), after which he has been absconding—incidentally, the Minister has not been attending office for the last month or so.
Prakash Rai, Inspector in charge of Gangarampur police station where the case against Biswas was originally lodged in 1988, said: ‘‘We cannot arrest a Minister like we would arrest any other person. There are some procedures and protocol to be followed.’’
