Self-ambition must not influence court judgements, says Hakim

Kolkata: A day after the Calcutta High Court ordered CBI probe into allegations of sexual harassment against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Firhad Hakim said that the Central probe agency has now become irrelevant

while requesting that members of the judiciary must not allow their ambitions to influence their judgements.

Much water has flown below the bridge ever since the Sandeshkhali incident cropped up followed by a string of arrests, including that of the main accused Sheikh Shahjahan. The High Court, on Wednesday, ordered CBI probe into allegations of sexual harassment against women and land grabbing. On Thursday, state Cabinet minister Firhad Hakim told the media: “I do not want to comment on the court’s order but I would like to say that people who have committed wrong will be punished. But today a stamp is being put on Trinamool Congress that all its members have committed crimes. This is not the case. One accused will be facing the due process of law but on the occasion of Eid, I would like to suggest that the judiciary must remain unbiased. Members of the judiciary must not let themselves get influenced by their high ambitions.”

The displeasure of TMC at the court’s order became obvious after its leader Kunal Ghosh on Wednesday said: “We have full confidence in the judiciary and courts but at times when random CBI probe is ordered it feels like there is another Abhijit Gangopadhyay (former HC judge) in the waiting to join as a BJP candidate in the future elections. Abhijit showed how in court judges are politically influenced and have an anti-government attitude. With all due respect to the court, a section of the judiciary has political leanings towards the BJP. Some are openly issuing orders against the state government. More judges like Abhijit Gangopadhyay seem to be on the waiting list in court.”

However, Hakim also courted controversy with his remarks: “CBI has no relevance now because people will get scared once but not every time. Now, due to the BJP’s manipulation of CBI, people do not fear it anymore just how they defy traffic police,” he said. BJP state president Sukanta Majumder said: “A minister of the state is belittling its police force. This is a self-goal. Police are both feared and respected in Bengal. It could be that they are not respected or feared in Hakim’s constituency Kidderpore

which he had once called a mini-Pakistan.”