Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Thursday had granted Trinamool Congress (TMC) national secretary Abhishek Banerjee protection from coercive action till July 31 in an FIR over allegedly making objectionable remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah during a poll rally. The Justice had also asked Banerjee to cooperate with the probe and comply with notices sent to him from the police.Banerjee’s lawyer and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee argued whether Banerjee can comply virtually to which Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya said that Banerjee will have to comply ‘in person’ to the police.The Justice also mentioned that the notices to Banerjee shall be issued giving at least 48 hours time to the petitioner.
Banerjee had moved the court seeking quashing of the FIR made against him, but appearing for the West Bengal government, Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumder opposed Banerjee’s plea and the court has also observed that the TMC national secretary cannot leave the country without the court’s permission.
TMC MP and lawyer Kalyan Banerjee also mentioned in the court that the speech against which the FIR was lodged had ‘no’ impact in the state, to which the Justice stated that he wonders what would have happened if TMC had won the election especially when the state has ‘dark history’ of post-poll violence. Also Watch:
Banerjee during the poll campaign dared Union Home Minister Amit Shah to stay in Kolkata on May 4 after the results got declared.Reacting to the comment, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP and state president Samik Bhattacharya sarcastically said that Banerjee wanted to meet Shah after the results.“Banerjee should protest on the roads now. During the bypoll there is no one in Falta who will take out TMC’s flag,” said BJP state president.