Big Setback For Mamata, Kolkata HC Allows BJP's Suvendu Adhikari to Visit Violence-Hit Sandeshkhali

North 24 Parganas:  In a big blow to Mamata Banerjee government, West Bengal's Leader Of Opposition and BJP's Suvendu Adhikari on Monday was allowed to visit the violence-hit areas of Sandeshkhali after Kolkata High Court issued an interim suspension of Section 144 for a week and allowed all the complainants to visit the sites. As one of the complainants in the systematic rape and violence case in Sandeshkhali, the BJP leader will be leaving at 9 am from Kolkata. He will reach there at 11 am.

However the Kolkata High Court has placed several restrictions on the visiting leaders. The HC directed the leaders not to deliver any inflammatory speech that might worsen the situation there. The police is now bound to assist Adhikari to give access to all areas in Sandeshkhali. Talking to Republic, BJP Chief Sukanta Majumdar, who was stopped from visiting Sandeshkhali at Basirhat last week, said, "Even Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting the bereaved sisters of Sandeshkhali."

Kolkata HC Can Consider Transferring Sandeshkhali Case to CBI: SC's Big Observation

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a court-monitored CBI or SIT probe into the violence in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali village, saying the incidents cannot be compared to the savagery in Manipur. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih said the Calcutta High Court is already seized of the matter.

"The local high court will be the best to assess the situation. Let there be no dual forums," the bench said while granting liberty to the PIL petitioner to approach the high court. As the hearing began, petitioner-lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava said disturbing incidents have come to light where a number of women have claimed they have been raped.

The top court said one of the judges of the high court has also taken cognisance of the alleged incidents. It can consider transferring the case to the CBI, the bench said.

(With inputs from PTI)