Cal HC tells cops not to arrest Visva-Bharati ex-V-C till Nov 29

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed police not to arrest former vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University Bidyut Chakrabarty till November 29 in five cases lodged against him.

The court noted that notices were issued to Chakrabarty by Santiniketan police station immediately after he demitted office as the vice-chancellor on November 8.

Taking up a petition by the former V-C considering its exigency, a vacation bench of Justice Jay Sengupta directed police not to arrest Chakrabarty in respect of these five cases till the next date hearing on November 29.

‘It is quite uncanny indeed that different officers belonging to the same police station issued notices to the petitioner to appear and be examined on the very next date of issuance of such notices,’ the court observed.

‘One wonders whether this was a concerted effort. These facts would themselves warrant an interim interference,’ Justice Sengupta observed. The judge said it is, however, encouraging to note the fair stand taken by the state before the court that it would not take any coercive measure against the petitioner if he complies with the notices on the date/s and in the manner that would be fixed by this court. The court directed that in the meantime, the notices issued by police to Chakrabarty in respect of the cases lodged against him will remain stayed.