State files plea in HC challenging court relief to Suvendu

Kolkata: The State government on Tuesday filed an appeal before the Calcutta High Court challenging an order of a single bench that stayed proceedings against BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari in connection with three criminal cases against him.

The state filed the case in the Division Bench comprising Justice Subrata Talukdar and Justice Kesang Doma Bhutia. The matter is likely to be heard on Wednesday.

On Monday, Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, did not appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the investigation into the death case of his former bodyguard Subhabrata Chakraborty.

He sent an e-mail to the CID citing that a hearing was pending at the High Court regarding the cases registered against him. After the hearing, the High Court ordered a stay on proceedings in three cases against Adhikari.

However, there are five cases against Adhikari in different police stations of the state.

Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, during the hearing, stayed the probe into the case first registered in Contai, along with one involving a political clash at Nandigram and another of gold chain snatching at Panskura.

Investigation will continue in connection with other two cases - one involving an alleged job scam in Maniktala, Kolkata and another in which Adhikari allegedly threatened a police official over a political meeting held in violation of the Disaster Management Act in Tamluk of East Midnapore.