HC orders interim stay on police case against KMC doc

Kolkata: Ordering an interim stay till December 4 on the proceedings in the case registered by the Maidan Police Station against the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) doctor, Tapabrata Ray, a vacation bench of Calcutta High Court on Tuesday also called for submission of the case diary.

The Bench of Justice Shampa Dutt (Paul) was hearing the matter where Ray’s counsel Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee prayed for quashing of the proceedings against the doctor arising out of a Maidan Police Station case registered under Section 170 of BNSS.

The counsel submitted that the offence alleged against the petitioner in the said case is that while attending the Durga Puja Carnival on 15 October, he was wearing a badge with certain captions which the State agency found to be offensive and the present case was registered.

The petitioner was arrested and subsequently released on bail. Considering the offence alleged and the materials on record and the nature of allegation against the petitioner, the court observed the petitioner is entitled to an interim

protection and, accordingly, gave an interim stay in the proceedings in the case till December 4, 2024. State authorities were asked to produce the case diary. The counsel representing the state had asked for adjournment but considering the nature of the case, the same was not granted by the court.

Ray was on emergency duty at the Durga Puja carnival at Red Road as part of KMC’s medical team when he was detained by the police and taken to Maidan Police Station for allegedly wearing a badge with ‘Pratiki Anashankari’ written on it to express solidarity with the junior doctors who are fasting unto death. Ray was released from the police station four hours later after a group of doctors and others staged a protest there.