HC grants interim stay on FIR against BJP candidate

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Monday granted interim stay on the FIR filed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Jhargram

Pranat Tudu.

The matter was heard by the Vacation Bench of Justice Amrita Sinha, who directed that the police cannot take any action against Tudu till June 21. According to a news agency, various non-bailable cases, including attempted murder and

molestation were filed against the candidate at Garbeta Police Station in West Midnapore district.

The BJP candidate had approached Calcutta High Court seeking dismissal of the FIR.

It was stated that on the day of the sixth phase of polls on May 25, his convoy was attacked by a group of people and when he went to lodge a complaint at the police station, it came to his knowledge that a complaint was filed against him by a Trinamool Congress worker.

According to a news report, the incident took place when he was on his way to Garbeta considering complaints that BJP agents were allegedly not allowed inside some polling booths.

The local TMC leadership had, however, denied the allegations and stated that Tudu was trying to “vitiate” the polling process.