Sandeshkhali: Shibu Hazra gets 8 days police custody

Kolkata: On Sunday, Section 144 of the CrPC was withdrawn from four places of Sandeshkhali while the arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shiba Prasad (Shibu) Hazra has been remanded to police custody for eight days after he was produced at the Basirhat Court on Sunday.

After adding the relevant sections of the IPC, Shibu was nabbed from Nazat on Saturday night. On Sunday, he was produced at the Basirhat court and his lawyer appealed for bail citing that the allegations made against his client are false and politically motivated. The defence counsel claimed that Shibu resides in Jeliakhali which takes about two hours from the place of crime. Also, the lawyer raised questions about medical reports of the victim and also claimed that there are several discrepancies between the statement recorded before the magistrate and the FIR.The police, through the public prosecutor, claimed that Shibu is influential and if he gets bail, the law and order situation might deteriorate. Also, citing several other reasons police reportedly sought his custody for 10 days. However, the court rejected Shibu’s bail plea and allowed eight days police remand. An allegation of gang rape was made by a woman in her statement recorded in front of the magistrate under Section 164 of CrPC.

Meanwhile, on Sunday the prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) was withdrawn from four places of Sandeshkhali out of 19 places. The 144 CrPC was imposed in 19 places on February 14 and which was supposed to be in effect till February 19. However, considering present circumstances, the North 24-Parganas district administration decided to withdraw the prohibitory orders on Sunday. Although it was withdrawn from four places, the same has been extended till February 21 for 15 other places. The victim woman of Sandeshkhali, who lodged a gangrape complaint on Sunday, alleged that a few people entered her house in police uniform and

vandalised it.