HC turns down protection prayer of Arjun Singh against CID probe

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Monday turned down the prayer of BJP leader Arjun Singh who sought for protection and quashing of the summon notice served to him by the state CID.

The bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh directed Singh to be present at the CID office at Bhawani Bhawan on November 14 at 11:30 am for four hours. The court further directed that if the petitioner is subsequently required the investigating agency can call him at the last week of November. Singh was directed to follow instructions of the notice served to him.

The court also said that the prayer for quashing of the investigation cannot be entertained now as the matter is pending at the apex court.

Singh had earlier approached Calcutta High Court challenging the CID notice. He alleged that CID has issued the notice for arresting him in a false case without any claim. Singh claimed that he was deliberately summoned just a day before the bypolls relating to a case concerning Bhatpara Municipality in North 24-Parganas in 2020.

Naihati, one of the seven Assembly constituencies under Barrackpore Lok Sabha and a stronghold of Singh, is one of the six constituencies where polling will be held on November 13. The counting of votes will be held on November 23.